Prophecies, Kings, and Destiny
by MWolfe13
Summary: Hermione squeezed her eyes shut and prayed to anyone that would listen that this would all turn out to be a terrible dream. That Luna really hadn't sent her to her death. That this man really wasn't about to strike her down with a weapon that belonged in a museum. Rated T for now, but will possibly be M later.
1. Chapter 1

**This starts off as complete and utter crap guys, I'm sorry. I love Gladio and I love Hermione, so my muse decided she was going to throw this at me. And she won't stop now that it's been started. Therefore, I give you guys this newest WIP. I hope you enjoy.**

 **Update 07/26/2018- Generic Trigger Warning: There may be things in this story that can be potentially triggering for people. I will not post what for each chapter, but am warning everyone now so that they are prepared. If you have a question about if a specific trigger will be in the story, PM me and I'll let you know which chapter to avoid if there is.**

 **Let me know what you think in the reviews!**

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

Hermione made her way back to her office, tomes blocking her view of what was in front of her. Not that she needed to worry. Everyone knew by now that the studious war heroine cared little about who was in her path. They either moved out of the way or were subjected to a scolding when the inevitable happened as it always does when people collide. Even the Minister of Magic was not immune to her rants.

Five years after the wars end and four years since completing her Hogwarts education, Hermione Granger was now an Unspeakable for the Department of Mysteries whose primary function was to research. Those who knew her best would agree the position suited her, and Hermione couldn't disagree. She could fight like her Auror best friends because it had been a necessity to learn and she could not stand to be bad at anything, but her brain was her superpower. Since her appointment upon graduation, not one incident had occurred during her time at the DoM. Her files were always complete; no stone left unturned in her quest to have all the information.

Besides her brief romance with one of her best friends, and the surprising relationship she'd had with one Draco Malfoy that had lasted a good year, Hermione was the most secluded of her friends. She preferred it that way, using her time to gain two Masteries and finding new ways to promote rights for magical creatures. She didn't feel her life was lacking anything, even if her best girlfriend insisted she needed a man in her life. Hermione had a feeling that particular train wreck would happen when she decided to move to a place where the terms 'Hermione Granger' and 'War Heroine' meant nothing.

Until then, Hermione was content to play aunt to her best friend's children and the many Weasley offspring that seemed to grow every year.

Hermione was surprised, and a little irritated, to find her office open but the feeling faded as soon as she saw the blonde figure fixing tea and waiting for her. "Luna," Hermione exclaimed. "What a lovely surprise! I didn't know you were back in Britain."

Luna Lovegood turned to face her, a dreamy smile on her face as she carried two cups of tea to the desk. "Oh yes, I've only been back since this morning. My dreams decided I was needed here."

Already used to Luna's nonsense talk, Hermione just smiled as she set the tomes she was carrying on the desk. Deciding she could spare some time to catch up with her friend, Hermione made herself comfortable and picked up the tea Luna had prepared. The taste was odd, faintly metallic but Hermione felt compelled to keep drinking it.

They made small talk for a couple of minutes, Luna pouring Hermione another cup of tea while they talked. She smiled as the witch immediately took a sip. She said, "I'm sorry for having dropped in without so much as an owl. It was rude of me."

Hermione shook her head, waving off Luna's apologies. "You're always welcome Luna, no owls needed. I'm just surprised you came here after only getting in. I imagine you'd want to see Neville."

Luna looked down for a moment. "Neville and I decided to remain friends. I heard he's seeing Hannah Abbot now."

Hermione inwardly cursed, not having heard this piece of news as of yet. "I apologize Luna. I didn't know."

Luna smiled at her friend. "I was not too upset. We have different callings."

Nodding, Hermione didn't ask what that was supposed to mean. Instead, she asked, "Is there a reason you came to see me? I don't mind in the least. It's just a little unusual. I would imagine you would want to see Ginny. Baby James is a couple of months old now."

Luna laughed, "Yes, I had heard Ginny had had the baby. They are my next stop. It was you I needed to see first."

Hermione's interest was piqued. "Did you need some help with something?"

"I was actually hoping to help you." Luna reached down and retrieved a book bag that Hermione had missed when she'd come into her office. She took out an old book, the leather worn and cracked in places. "I was recently going through some old chests of my mum's when I found some things."

Hermione took the old tome from Luna, carefully examining the title. "The Hexatheon?" She looked to Luna for permission. "May I?"

Luna nodded, and Hermione wasted no time in opening the book. The first page read:

 _Titan, The Archaean, steadfast as stone_

 _Ramuh, The Fulgurian, sharp as lightning_

 _Shiva, The Glacian, gentle as snow_

 _Leviathan, the Hydraean, relentless as tides_

 _Bahamut, the Draconian, unbending as iron_

 _Ifrit, the Infernian, fickle as fire_

 _Since time immemorial, they have watched over Eos_

There was nothing else on the page. Hermione raised a brow, confusion marring her features. "This sounds like a list of deities."

Luna nodded, pleased. "Astrals to be precise."

"And they watch over a place called Eos," Hermione said slowly, waiting for Luna's confirmation. When the nod came, Hermione frowned. "I could have sworn I'd read every magical fairy tale there was to offer. How did I miss this?"

Luna frowned before smiling as if she'd remembered something. "Did I ever tell you that my mum's family isn't from this world?"

* * *

Hermione placed her head on her desk, headache in full swing since Luna's visit. Why had she let Luna fill her afternoon with tales of make-believe lands instead of finding the information for a project the head of her department was asking to be approved? Hermione knew Luna was not all there but other realms? She knew it wasn't a total impossibility, but Luna had spun a story so unbelievable that Hermione had used the last of the politeness her mother had drummed into her to get through the rest of the visit.

Astrals? Daemons? Oracles and another Merlin-be-damned prophecy? Honestly, where did the girl get the imagination?

What was worse was the books Luna had given Hermione to back up her story. They were obviously old, how old Hermione could not say for sure. She'd entrusted them into Hermione's care, the blonde giving her locket a knowing glance before departing with the promise of coming over again the next day. Somehow, Hermione had a feeling Luna knew precisely what her locket was and that unsettled her more than anything. No one but Minerva knew what it was other than Hermione. The board that oversaw the Masteries had been all too happy to accept her former professor's word that Hermione had completed her project without needing to know the details. Not even Harry and Ron knew, thinking her completion of an Animagus transformation had been the final step to earning the title of Transfiguration Mistress.

Hermione knew she should continue the project she had been assigned, but the allure of knowledge, no matter how improbable, was difficult to resist. The world Luna had described had been real enough to the people who made these books. Maybe they had been the stories of a lost magical country? That seemed more of a possibility to Hermione than the alternative.

Giving in to temptation, Hermione opened the Hexatheon again. By the time she'd finished, everyone not currently engrossed in a project had gone home for the day. Deciding to leave the rest for tomorrow, she stored the books in her locket and headed home.

Later that night, she fell asleep to thoughts of a nonexistent Pantheon.

Luna showed up every day for the next week, the women drinking tea that Luna had prepared and discussing Hermione's readings. Hermione had asked about the blend that Luna was using only to be told that it was one she had made herself and would help Hermione in the future. Normally, Hermione would demand more information, but once again she'd been compelled to take Luna at her word. It was no hardship, really. Luna had Hermione's utmost trust.

It was during one of their conversations that Luna once again said something that made Hermione give her undivided attention. "Excuse me? Did you say the Veil was the way your ancestor came to be here? The Death Veil?"

Luna gave Hermione a small smile. "It's hard to believe, isn't it? The Ministry was built around the Veil, you know. Wizarding Britain didn't just decide to build their power base in the middle of a muggle populated area for nothing. It has had many names, but people once believed that the Veil could take you to other worlds. Of course, as no one ever returned, it was widely assumed that they were really dying as they passed through; hence it's current name."

Hermione thought about Sirius, who'd been a victim of the Death Chamber and about Harry's insistence of hearing voices of people long dead. She shrugged. "It's hard to believe otherwise. It was used for executions for a long time, and some have said to hear voices coming from the arch."

Luna stared at Hermione, something she couldn't name swimming in the blonde's eyes. "I bet if you went in there, you would hear the voices as well."

Hermione blinked. "You think so?"

Luna shrugged. "Call it intuition. We could check it out if you like?"

Startled at Luna's suggestion, Hermione brought her cup to her mouth to give her time to respond. She frowned when she realized it was empty. She stood to pour some more but found the kettle empty as well. She turned to Luna, realizing she had finished it and hadn't seen Luna drink any. "Oh Luna, I'm so sorry. You didn't get to have any of your tea."

Luna smiled at her. "Don't worry Hermione. It was not meant for me. I think we should check out the Veil."

Hermione chewed her lip, thinking about it. Permission needed to be granted by the Head of the Department to have access to the Death Chamber. She looked down at her attire, grimacing at her jeans and Gryffindor sweatshirt. She'd dressed down today, determined not to see her boss who usually wanted those who worked under him dressed professionally. If he saw her now, he'd give her a lecture on representing the DoM to the best of her ability, and that meant dressing up more than what she currently had on.

Still… Luna seemed to really want to go see the Veil. In truth, Hermione was more than wary of the arch. Who wouldn't be with its reputation? Yet, Hermione had also always wondered how the Veil worked the way it did. She had known before Luna told her that the Ministry had been built around the arch, meaning it had been here long before they'd established a government. The magic was old. On her 'official tour' during her first day as an Unspeakable, her Department Head had made it clear that many dedicated their career's to solving the mysteries of the Veil only to fall short. It had been made clear to her that should she wish to advance up the Ministry ladder, she needn't follow their example.

So she'd left it alone. Even when Harry had inquired as to whether anything she'd read had suggested a way to bring people back from the curtain, Hermione had shut it down as impossible. He had taken her at her word, believing she had already looked into it. She hadn't had the courage to correct his assumption. Even at his lowest, when he was feeling guilty for death's that were not his fault, she hadn't given in and done more research into it.

So why was she considering Luna's request?

She shouldn't be. What valid reason would she give her boss for entering the room? There was none. She could pull strings and get the access, but that was the fastest way to ruin her hard earned reputation. She could sneak in, but Hermione liked to think she followed most rules set before her these days.

Luna's curiosity would have to go unsatisfied.

Hermione opened her mouth to speak, and Luna sighed, "I was hoping it wouldn't come to this." Before Hermione could blink, Luna's wand was out, and a fog entered her mind.

When Hermione's head cleared, they were in the Death Chamber.

Blinking in confusion, she turned to Luna who was facing the Veil and singing a range of notes. There were no words, just Luna sounding out notes that formed a tune. Hermione would later think it sounded pretty, but right now she was very much conscious of the fact that they were standing way too close to the curtain for her liking.

Luna closed her mouth, the beautiful melody fading away as it's last notes echoed across the chamber. The curtain fluttered, a slight breeze passing through them. Hermione opened her mouth, but Luna shook her head. She said, "One day you'll understand."

And with that, she reached out and pushed Hermione through the Veil.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you yeeloong . ong, April-showers2451, cosmoGirl666, Phatboy93, Dorisangel, RainDancin, zombiekins5948, Sarpndo, Lilithnocte, and MJandSports for following/favoring this story!**

 **Soo normally I have a strict once a week update a schedule if I can help it, but then I remembered today marks the day Insomnia fell and I couldn't let this posting opportunity pass me by. Thank you everyone that has read this story so far, and those that reviewed. They keep my muse going, demanding thing.**

 **Hope you enjoy and let me know what you think in the reviews!**

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

Hermione was falling… and then she wasn't.

There was no landing, and Hermione felt nothing under her. She had closed her eyes at her realization that she was falling to the ground, but now she opened them. She was floating, the world around her nothing but stars. She looked around in amazement before realizing that this was not a good thing.

Luna had pushed her.

The sweet not all there blonde who would typically not hurt a fly had physically pushed Hermione through the Death Curtain. Anger along with hurt bloomed in her chest once she recalled the fog that had taken over her mind in her office. Luna had used the Imperius on her, she was sure of it. But why? What could she possibly gain from killing Hermione?

Luna had been so sure that the Veil was not just a gateway to death. Maybe she hadn't intended to kill Hermione. Hermione wasn't even sure she was dead, though precisely _where_ she was-was a question she wanted to be answered. Hermione remembered the books hidden away in her necklace, the locket still around her neck on its chain. What was Luna's goal? Anyone who went through the Veil never came back.

Merlin, she could never go back.

Before Hermione could despair, a giant eye appeared, scaring her into a high pitch scream. It blinked once and then Hermione was falling again.

This time she landed, hard.

Hermione groaned, a stinging sensation traveling throughout her body as she tried to get her bearings. From experience, Hermione realized she had to have been laying on broken glass. It was sharp enough to have cut through her clothes to get to her skin. She briefly mourned her only House sweatshirt before looking around the room.

The first thing she noticed was the bodies. They littered the floor alongside the glass and overturned chairs. Blood soaked the tile, still light enough for this to have been a recent occurrence. The next thing she noticed and should have seen first, was the group of people facing an overly armored giant. Well, not a literal giant, but his stature suggested he was well over 6 feet. Their attire was strange, everything was weird. They held weapons in their hands, two older men standing just behind the rest of the group back to back.

No one had noticed her yet; all their attention focused on the behemoth who was clearly the enemy.

Suddenly, the armored man leapt towards the group of people, quickly dispatching the three in front. He was swinging his swords towards the two older men, their own weapons ready to block. Instinct drove her, her wand in her hand before she could think and shouting 'Protego' with as much conviction as she could. The shield stopped the sword for a brief second before it shattered. Though weak, her shout and the resounding shimmer of magic had startled the men present.

They all looked at her, confusion on the faces she could see. Getting to her knees, Hermione sent a wordless stunner to the armored man. To her dismay, it merely sank into his armor. She felt it before with the shield, and now with the stunner, her magic was weaker here.

Hermione's unexpected presence had given one of the men time to launch his attack. Making no sound, he heaved his enormous sword towards the giant, but the man's reflexes were fast and he was able to move out of the way. They locked swords, and the other older gentleman thrust his palm out, sending lightning to collide with the man's armor.

Hermione's mouth dropped open in disbelief. Did the man have some form of elemental power? He hadn't used a wand, and the attack had been powerful. The lightning attack knocked the armored man back, and the one attacking with a sword made his move. It proved feeble as he was thrown to the side and the enemy leaped, bloody leaped, into the air to strike the man who had used magic. To her surprise, he blocked the attack with multiple swords that had come out of nowhere. His companion moved to attack again, but his swing did not connect and he was thrown into the air. Hermione anticipated where was being thrown by the armored man's movements and was able to use a cushioning charm on the wall he was thrown at. He grunted in pain, but it was not the disaster it could have been.

Hermione could not have anticipated what happened next, but she would always feel a little guilt for not having realized how things would turn out.

In the second it had taken him to slam against her cushioned wall, the evil bastard as Hermione was coming to call him in her head, threw his sword at the man's back. It impaled him, pinning him to the wall and the man letting out one final cry of pain before he went still.

"Clarus!" was shouted but Hermione was in shock. She shouldn't have been. She'd been through a war. She'd seen friends struck down, had killed a few enemies herself. Now wasn't the time to freeze, not with someone hell-bent on killing everything that moved. But this wasn't magic, where an Avada was the preferred way of killing unless you were a sadist. No, this was swords and impalement, and oh Merlin her magic was weak in this place.

Hermione vaguely saw the man with magic put up his own shield. Words were spoken, the protection broke and then another cry of pain. Blood dropped to the ground as something rolled across the floor. Another man, hair so light he could have been a Malfoy, picked the object up and Hermione's focus came back enough to see it was a ring. He was speaking too, but it didn't sound directed at anyone. He slid the ring onto his finger, and several things happened at once. The armored bastard had taken another leap but towards the white blonde. The door slammed open, revealing a woman with the same hair color as the man with the ring and another man with all black attire.

The next thing she knew, she was staring in horror as the man rolled on the ground in pain, his arm disintegrating before her eyes. The ring rolled right back to its owner, the man picking it up. The woman ran to the older man while the one in all black threw his sword and… apparated to the man in armor. He used magic was well, distracting him as the woman helped the older man limp from the room. He met her eyes briefly before jerking his head toward them.

Hermione found her legs, running to them and looping his other arm around her shoulders to help him out of the room. He turned, sending off another powerful lightning blast that brought the giant to his knees. The one who had been aiding their escape threw his weapon towards them and apparated directly to it. The elevator closed as the behemoth was getting to his feet.

Everyone took a moment to catch their breaths, Hermione not even trying to make sense of it all. Her body was alert in a way it hadn't been since the war had ended. She was running on adrenaline now, her senses heightening for any perceived threats. Later, she would lose her mind, but for right now her head needed to remain in the present.

The man who had apparated turned to her. "Who are you?"

She took a step back, unprepared for his hostile tone. "Hermione Granger. Who are you?"

He didn't answer, narrowing his eyes. Of course, he wouldn't recognize her name. She wasn't from around… wherever she was. The older gentleman stepped between them, a cloth now wrapped around his wounded hand. "He is Nyx Ulric. I am King Regis Lucis Caelum." He gestured to the white blonde haired woman. "This is the Princess of Tenebrae, Lunafreya Nox Fleuret, though you may recognize her as the Oracle."

The Oracle? The name Lucis rang a bell as well, but the term Oracle was most evident in her mind. Sweet Morgana, they were people from Luna's stories, from the old books she had been given. She was supposedly related to the Oracle. Was it a coincidence that Hermione landed in a strange place, and then almost immediately encountered someone related to Luna?

As she said nothing, the King continued. "You aided my party against the General. That means you are no enemy of Lucis. Where do you come from?"

Where to start? She shook her head and said carefully. "I believe, Your Majesty, that is a question best left answered when we are away from that… giant armored man on a rampage." Did he say he was a general?

He nodded once before turning to Lunafreya. "This leads to a secret passageway, follow it. Once you're away, make for Altissa. Noctis awaits you there."

Lunafreya looked up and shook her head. "Your Majesty…"

Nyx's voice was full of anger, this time directed at the King. "You knew this was coming?"

"Yes," The King nodded. "It was the only way to draw their wrath away from Noctis."

Nyx scoffed. "Is that the way of our King? Sacrifice Lucian sons to save his own?"

Lunafreya hissed at him. "To save us all."

Suddenly, it clicked for Hermione. "The Chosen King," she murmured.

They looked at her in surprise, the King nodding to her once before turning back to Nyx. "See Luna safely to Altissa. This is not an order from the King to his Glaive. This is a plea from one man to another. Please Nyx Ulric, keep her safe, for the future of all." The ground shook, making it clear they were running out of time. The King retrieved the ring that had been cut from his hand, handing it to Lunafreya. "Here, take this. It is time it passed into another's keeping."

Lunafreya took the ring, sorrow in her expression. The elevator made it to its destination, and Hermione helped King Regis out of it, guiding him across the room. Lunafreya held his hand, determination set in her features. King Regis suddenly pulled away from the both, using his cane to stand fully. He backed away from them before using his hand to erect a shield between them and himself.

Lunafreya pleaded against the shield, tears falling down her face but the King stood steadfast. Nyx pulled her away, disbelief in his eyes. Regis said, "I know your mother would wish the same as me, that you and Noctis live happily. All those years captive because I failed you, not again. Locked doors will seal your fate no longer." The elevator shook, pieces crumbling to the ground. "Our hope goes with you now Nyx Ulric, godspeed."

Hermione placed a palm against the shield, staring at the King with hopeless eyes. "I can help you. Let me help you. You don't need to sacrifice yourself."

He gave her a quick quirk of his lips. "Your fate lies elsewhere I think." He stared intently at her for a moment before murmuring, "Red eyes."

Nyx turned Lunafreya around, intending to lead her off. Hermione held the King's eyes before he turned to face the general as the man came crashing through the broken elevator. He bowed once and the King threw his cane to the ground, standing defiant. Hermione could only watch as he tried to hold him off with magic before failing and being stabbed through the back, his front facing them.

He mouthed 'go' at them with his final breaths, his eyes locking with hers before they went lifeless.

Nyx drew his blade, but Lunafreya was there to stop him. Hermione looked away from the fallen King, helping the Princess urge the Glaive to complete his final task from his King. They ran away, Hermione following behind as they wove through paths that finally lead to a car. Hermione spared the time to look at the giant statue of a warrior before Nyx was gunning it.

Nyx turned up the volume as a news reporter announced some suspects of what must have been an earlier attack. He jumped a little as a familiar face seemed to come up before gripping the steering wheel. Just then, something started to shoot at their car. Hermione turned with Nyx to see a flying ship; it's doors open to reveal men dressed similarly to Nyx. He gave the wheel to Lunafreya, opening the door and throwing his knife.

Nothing happened.

He closed his eyes briefly, but Hermione could see the anger. What had happened to his magic? Was he exhausted? Was there a reason it didn't seem to be working?

Hermione moved next to him, so many questions but the time was not right for such inquiries. She asked, "I can try something. What do you need me to do?"

He eyed her before saying a little sarcastically. "We need the ship to stop shooting at us."

Ignoring the sarcasm, Hermione nodded and withdrew her wand. Concentrating on one of the propellers that helped it fly, she shouted., "Bombarda Maxima!"

The spell, while not packing its usual punch, still did something that made the ship swerve. The bullets stopped as the ship recovered from the effect of her spell. They hadn't covered much ground when it was on them again. Hermione and Nyx both growled in frustration, determined looks passing between them. She readied her wand to blast them again when a black armored truck came up behind them. Hermione didn't understand much other than that the man driving was there to help them. He pulled a big gun from the floor and started shooting at them, giving Nyx a better chance at losing them.

Hermione was starting to think they'd lost them for good when two metal machines dropped in front of them from the air. Nyx swerved to the side when they started shooting, the car breaking through the guardrail and free falling to the ground. Hermione couldn't concentrate enough to cast another spell, her body being thrown around the backseat while the car was flipping. They finally landed upside down, their vehicle in no shape to carry them anymore.

Somehow Hermione and Lunafreya were separated from Nyx, more machines making an appearance and blocking any escape route she could see. Lunafreya grabbed her hand and made a run for it, using their smaller statures to their advantage to take cover from the bullets currently trailing them. Hermione kept up her strongest shield charm, knowing they would be dead otherwise. There were just too many of them.

They made it to the entrance of a building where they met up with Nyx. Hermione was relieved to see him, a small part of her afraid that he had perished with the car. Lunafreya had taken a hit to the shoulder and Hermione was feeling the exhaustion of trying to keep her magic up. She hated having to rely on him, especially as his magic seemed to have disappeared, but with Lunafreya not fighting and Hermione magically draining with every spell she used, Nyx was their only hope of getting out of this alive.

Nyx didn't let them stop, leading them further into the building. He addressed Lunafreya. "What the hell did you do to piss these things off?"

The Princess of Tenebrae said, "It's not me they're after, it's the ring."

Nyx scoffed, "Don't tell me the future is really riding on it."

Hermione, already knowing the answer after seeing King Regis entrust Lunafreya with the ring, said, "He who wears the ring, communes with the Lucii and commands great power." That was a direct line from one of the books Luna had given her.

Nyx looked at them warily. "What kind of power."

Lunafreya shook her head, shooting Hermione a thoughtful look. "A forbidden one, sealed within the ring long ago."

Nyx seemed to come to a realization. "The Old Wall. I thought that was just a bedtime story, a myth."

Hermione said, "Myths often have some form of truth, or they had to have started somewhere."

They looked around as a strange noise filled the air. Lunafreya grimaced, "I assure you, it is no myth. But the Lucii only grant their power to those they deem worthy."

Hermione thought back to the man that had taken the ring, only to have his arm burned off from one second to the next. "The man back in the room you first came in through. He tried on the ring. I'm guessing the Lucii found him wanting."

Lunafreya's eyes filled with a resigned emotion. "That was my brother." She looked down. "These last twelve years have changed Ravus. He is bound to the past and lost to his lust for power."

Bug-like creatures broke through the windows, cutting off anything anyone would have said next. Nyx fought them off with renewed fury, taking them down quickly. They both noticed the odd metallic pattern on their fallen foe, and Nyx came to the correct conclusion that they were tracking the Princess.

He stared at the beautiful hair piece, talking to them about his fallen sister as he got rid of the tracker. Lunafreya offered him words of comfort, her words striking a chord with Hermione. Nyx seemed to be on the same page because he made a quip about pulling punches to cover the discomfort he felt.

More bug creatures, bigger than before, crashed through the remaining intact windows. Nyx drew them off, talking to someone as he did. Hermione had her wand ready to bring up another shield, or maybe start blasting things, she wasn't exactly sure. They made their way back out of the building in time to see Nyx being overtaken by the bugs. He dropped the tracker to the ground, hanging onto an airship for dear life. Thinking quickly, Hermione grabbed the piece from the ground and threw it at the engine. There was a giant explosion as the creatures slammed into it.

Nyx limped back to them, saying, "We need to head to Section D. The Empire has all the gates surrounded. We're meeting up with the extraction team."

Hermione furrowed her brows. "How are we supposed to leave if there is no exit."

Nyx didn't seem too worried about that, walking off and fully expecting them to follow.

* * *

They made it to Section D, Hermione surprised that this part of the city had yet to be destroyed. She could admit the city had to have been beautiful, in a futuristic sort of way.

Nyx made them wait in the shadows, walking into the light to wait for his contact. Hermione leaned against a pillar, not relaxing but able to rest for a bit now that bullets weren't continually trying to get them.

The sound of two shots brought Hermione to attention. She looked up to see a brown-haired man dressed like Nyx sauntering to his fallen form. Hermione made to go to him, but he stopped them with a pained order. He wanted them to run.

They yelled at one another, Lunafreya clutching her fist and backing away. Hermione grabbed her other hand, knowing they needed to leave. Nyx was down, and her magic was not restored enough to put up much of a fight. Besides, if this man fought anything like Nyx, they wouldn't stand a chance.

The man grinned as he caught sight of them preparing to flee. Hermione didn't give him a chance to catch up to them, tugging Lunafreya down the first path she saw. It brought them to a dead end, Hermione banging the barred door in frustration. He found them, seeming to have enjoyed their attempt at escaping. He said, "Nowhere to run now." He pointed a gun at Hermione when she pushed Lunafreya behind her. "The ring, give it to me."

She heard a car in the distance, coming to a stop below them. It had to be Nyx's extraction team. But would they make it up here in time?

A terrible idea came to Hermione's mind, the noble part of her screaming at her not to do it. She knew this man, at least she knew his type. They were greedy, wanting power and using any means to get it.

He wouldn't be able to resist.

She took the ring from Lunafreya and gave it to the man. The Princess made to move and get it back, but Hermione blocked her escape. He said, "So many dead over so simple a thing. But why? For what?"

Hermione smirked, knowing just the thing to say. "Considerable power. A power that can't be controlled by the likes of you."

He sneered at her, putting the ring on with enough arrogance for them all. Like Lunafreya's brother, the ring rejected him. The man burned, his screams forcing Hermione to fight the memory that threatened to resurface of another night where someone had died horribly by fire. Why did their cries have to sound the same?

Lunafreya grabbed the ring before the man fell off the ledge to his death. There was horror in her eyes, and Hermione felt that same horror in her heart. She did that. She might not have set him on fire herself, but she'd goaded him purposefully into putting on the ring. He would have killed them, she told herself. She'd had no choice.

Hermione heard the squeal of another set of tires, this one bumping into something. They ran back to Nyx, the General having made an appearance while they were gone. She gulped as he walked closer. Nyx was down. She was mostly depleted. What were they going to do?

Nyx's name was shouted, flying engine sounds filling the air. The General said, "It's over. The daemons are unleashed. Lucis is fallen." He stopped a few feet away from them. "Surrender the ring."

Lunafreya looked down at the ring, determination on her face. Nyx stopped her hand from moving towards it. "You planning on giving the Kings a piece of your mind? You've got a destiny to take care of, remember? Besides, didn't anyone tell you? I'm the hero around here." He shot them both a grin before taking the ring and sliding it on.

Once again, time slowed down. The General had swung towards them, Hermione's palms lifted in defense. Then Nyx was raising a shield to block his attack and sending out enough lighting to blast the man several feel away from them.

She breathed a sigh of relief, "Your magic is back!"

He grinned at her and then turned to face a limping man with dreadlocks. The man looked down. "Nyx… I'm sorry…"

Nyx stopped him. "Don't be. You saved me. Now I owe you."

The man scoffed lightly. "For a change."

"Gonna need another favor." He gestured towards Lunafreya and Hermione. "Meet Lunafreya Nox Fleuret, our beloved Prince's bride to be. The other one's Hermione Granger. She helped the King when he didn't have anyone else. Lunafreya has the future of the world in our hands, keep her safe and get her out of Insomnia." He pulled the ring off and handed it to the Oracle. "Give Prince Noctis my regards. Libertus will take care of you from here."

Hermione observed him carefully. "You plan to stay and fight?"

Nyx shrugged, giving her a half grin. "Just following the King's orders."

Hermione was almost sure he meant that literally.

Final words were spoken between the two men, and then Libertus was racing out of there, leaving Nyx to face the recovered general. Lunafreya gripped her hand tightly, the firm grip the only sign the princess was hanging on by a thread.

Hermione's eyes widened as fire lit up the sky. Giant balls of flame were raining down upon the city. Libertus drove faster, eager to escape. Bright blue light drew Hermione's eyes to the other window, the sight before her surprising her when she thought nothing else could.

The statues were fighting.

This had to be Nyx's doing. This had to be the Old Wall. He'd put on the ring. He must have been granted their power. Hermione was mesmerized by the sight, the battle beautiful even as it was deadly. Why had they waited so long to protect their land? Hermione frowned as one of the statues tore through a building. They were destroying everything.

The car jerked, Hermione whipping around to see the general trying to stop them with brute force. Libertus was trying to power through, but the car was starting to slow down. Hermione took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Lunafreya needed to get out of the city. Hermione couldn't pretend she didn't know what was going on. Luna had been preparing her for this, even if the way she went about it had been sneaky.

She grabbed Libertus' shoulder, squeezing it to catch his attention. "Get the princess out of here."

Lunafreya made a sound of protest, but Hermione was already jerking her door open. She climbed onto the hood, fighting the jerks that threatened to buck her off. She raised her wand shakily, aimed for his face and yelled, "Stupefy!"

The spell hit him, seeming to confuse him even as his grip struggled to stay attached to the car. Hermione's hand rose to give it another shot when one of the statue's apparated in front of them. It's sword braced into the ground, the general standing no chance against it.

Neither did Hermione.

Letting go of the car, she flew off the hood, landing a couple of feet before the street veered off into a fiery hole. The car sailed through the air, landing on the other side of the road and coming to a stop. They jumped out, Lunafreya shouting Hermione's name. Hermione shook her head. There was no way to get to her. She put on a brave smile even though she was terrified inside. Is this what Luna had meant to happen to her? She was tired, her magic depleted.

Libertus nodded to her, forcing Lunafreya back into the car. She watched them drive off, the battle still raging around them. She watched as the city was wrecked. There was no care for the buildings or roads. All that seemed to matter was the giant machine that was the source of the fire.

Getting to her knees, Hermione surveyed the street across from her. She had just enough power left to try one more spell. She might splinch herself, but the alternative was to leave herself vulnerable to a street collapse.

She shot a glance to the continued fighting, dawn making its appearance on the horizon. The destruction of the city looked even worse now that night was leaving. She could also see more airships flying in. She didn't know who the enemy was, but they were powerful, deadly. Hermione would not be taken again, and she had no allusions that she wouldn't be taken prisoner if they found her. The general had seen her. She held no hope that he hadn't noted her involvement.

Straitening her hunched shoulders, Hermione concentrated on the farthest point she could see and apparated.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you LiquidBloom, storyreader21, re4lnk, catxangel, and beanche for following/favoring this story!**

 **Sorry guys! This was meant to be posted earlie, but my mother-in-law surprised us with a visit AND my editing program I run my chapters through made some changes to the way they do things that totally messed with my process. I hope they change things back.**

 **Reviews: Yes, Hermione lands in Eos at the same time Insomnia is falling. Bad luck on her part. With this story, the Glaives we know and love will not be explored as much (Sorry) unless things come up later. BUT since I also have a Hermione/Nyx story my muse is shoving at me, if you love the Kingsglaive, that will be the one to read once I start posting it.**

 **Sorry for sucky and simple fighting. This is actually new territory for me, so hopefully I will improve as I go along.**

 **Enjoy and let me know what you think in the reviews!**

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

She ran into Cor as he tried to find a way back into the city.

After Hermione had successfully apparated, she'd run like her life had depended on it. Which it had. Her legs had burned, her mind going back to times when she'd run for her life at the drop of a hat. The street had been endless, just like the places she'd run back home had been endless.

She'd seen survivors making their way to a gate, but Hermione had heard earlier that the Empire had all the gate's surrounded so she looked for ways out that didn't involve a gate. She'd thought about warning the others, but what good would that do? They couldn't stay inside the city, and there was always a chance that the Empire would leave them alone. They had been after one thing alone, and it was now out of harm's way.

Merlin, she prayed Lunafreya was safely out of the city.

After hours of walking, Hermione finally found a broken wall that lead to a mountain landscape. Her abused body climbed, her already torn sweatshirt tearing again at the sharp ends that jutted out of the wall. Finally, she was out.

Cor had been heading in her direction, his eyes hard and his steps purposeful. Hermione's already alert mindset went into overdrive when she saw him. She'd feel sorry about it later, but seeing him approach her tired battered form was just too much. Without given him a chance to act, she lunged forward, punching him in the face. Cor's head snapped back and he grunted, more in surprise than actual pain. Before she could send her foot to the place it would do the most damage, Cor tackled her to the ground, Hermione's head hitting the ground.

Her vision blackened for a couple seconds before slowly coming back. Her head hurt, and her already aching body protested violently. She whimpered as she waited for the pain to pass, unable to help herself. "Did you have to hit me so hard? And are you a bloody truck? Get off me."

Cor didn't move, looking down at her with suspicion. "To be fair, you attacked first. Who are you? How did you escape the city?"

"I ran for my life and then climbed," Hermione said dryly. "My name is Hermione. Does that satisfy you? Will you let me up?"

Cor tilted his head to the side, taking her in. "The Empire has set up blockades leading out of every city exit. They're reportedly looking for the Princess of Tenebrae and a woman with curly brown hair that can wield magic." He examined the mass of brown curls that framed her face. "Are you her?"

Hermione scoffed, "Well I'm certainly not the Princess of Tenebrae." She paused, her initial thought coming back. "Are you with the Empire?"

Now it was his turn to scoff. "You know I'm not."

She sighed, "No, I don't."

Cor narrowed his eyes. "How have you not heard of Cor the Immortal?"

Her eyebrows rose at the moniker. "I take it you're Cor?" He nodded. "Are you really Immortal?"

"You didn't answer my question."

Neither did you. She found that interesting. She said, "I'm not exactly from around here, so no, I wouldn't recognize anyone famous." She put her palms on his chest, figuring she could manage a wandless stunner if he continued to pin her to the ground. "Will you please let me up? It's been a long night."

Something in her eyes must have gotten through to him as his face softened, and he helped her off the ground. She gently probed her head, not surprised to find a good-sized lump at the back. Despite all her cuts and bruises, Hermione figured this was the injury she would need to watch out for. If she could find a place where she could avoid being attacked for five bleeding minutes, maybe she could even heal herself.

Cor had been scanning her while she took stock of her latest injury. Her clothes were all ruined, the jeans and sweatshirt practically torn to shreds. Not the standard uniform for a Glaive, but maybe she had been off duty when the attack on Insomnia took place? It made no sense as he had known the Glaive had deployed to save the Princess before all hell broke loose. He asked, "What were you doing that you did not assemble with the rest of the Kingsglaive?"

Hermione stopped thinking about her battered body to look up at him, confused. "Why would I be with the Kingsglaive?"

Cor's brow furrowed, not expecting that response. "You can wield magic can you not?" Well, Cor thought sadly, she used to wield magic.

Hermione nodded. "Yes, but what does that have to do with the Kingsglaive?" Hadn't King Regis called Nyx a Glaive?

Cor's had moved to the handle of his weapon, Hermione wouldn't have noticed if her senses still weren't in overdrive. "You mean to tell me that you are not with the Kingsglaive and you can wield magic?"

Hermione kept a wary eye on his weapon hand as she answered, "Yes."

Before she could blink, Hermione's back was against the wall with a long sword pressed against her neck. She held her hands up in surrender, her throat as far from the sword point as it could get. Merlin, what had she done for this man to be looking at her with hatred? Cor snarled, "You have five seconds to tell me how can you use the King's magic. The report was clear. It was believed you were another Glaive, though I have not met you and I knew all of them personally."

Fighting to stay calm even though all she wanted to do was try for a wandless Knockback Jinx, Hermione said, "I'm a witch. I don't have anything to do with your King's magic!"

That had evidently been the wrong thing to say. Cor's eyes became hard, the grip on the handle of his sword tightening. Hermione saw her death in his eyes, and she would probably never know why. She had just assumed, as both the King and Nyx had been able to use magic, that it was a natural occurrence in this land. Bringing her hands down to lay on the rock behind her, Hermione squeezed her eyes shut and prayed to anyone that would listen that this would all turn out to be a terrible dream. That Luna hadn't sent her to her death. That this man wasn't about to strike her down with a weapon that belonged in a museum.

With her eyes closed and attention focused on the non-wavering sword in front of her, Hermione didn't feel the energy that had slowly been entering her through her palm. She didn't see Cor's eyes widen as he saw the energy deposit deplete in color until the yellow was faded enough to blend with its surroundings.

Hermione's eyes opened wide as she finally felt something moving around in her. It felt foreign, but also like it was a part of her magic. The hum that she unconsciously always knew was there had made itself more apparent. She looked at Cor, who was staring at her with his jaw dropped. Feeling energized, Hermione lifted her hand, pointing it at Cor. "Lower your sword." She didn't know what was happening, but Hermione knew without a doubt that she could pull off another spell now, definitely more if she needed to.

When he didn't move, Hermione decided to use the Knockback Jinx. She waved her hand, muttering the spell under her breath. She'd intended for him to stumble, possibly fall back a couple feet. What she hadn't intended was for lightning to shoot out of her palm and blast him away from her. Cor landed against the wall of rock that formed the other side of their current path. Looking at her hand in horror and then back to Cor's fallen form, Hermione forgot all about his attempt on her life as she ran to check on him.

She knelt down next to his body, relief flooding through her at his noticeable breathing. She bit her lip, saying, "I apologize. I didn't intend to do that."

Cor opened his eyes to look at her, disbelief in his eyes. "Yea? Then what did you intend to do?" He waved his hand in dismissal. "Nevermind that. How you can do that is the question. Regis never mentioned… Who are you?"

Hermione sighed, "I've already told you my name, but I have a feeling that is not what you're asking."

Cor nodded and pulled himself up. He picked up his sword and sheathed it. He opened his mouth, but vibrations coming from one of his pockets stopped the words. He took out a phone, eyes widening at the name across the screen and then a sad look etching on his face a moment later. He put the phone to his ear, and then said, "So, you made it." Hermione could vaguely make out another male voice on the other end. "Where are you?"

The other man's voice sounded younger, and far more distraught than Cor's composed tone. Cor gave him instructions for a meeting location and then hung up. He inclined his head. "Come on. I have some spare clothes by my vehicle. They'll be too big, but you cant go around with what you have on. We'll pick up some better fits for you in Hammerhead."

Hermione grimaced at her ruined casual wear and followed.

They walked in silence, Cor glancing at her every few seconds. He seemed to be thinking hard about something, eyebrows drawing down every so often. Finally, he asked, "Where were you when Insomnia was attacked?"

Hermione had already gathered that he'd known the King personally from the man's casual use of his given name, so Hermione was reluctant to answer given his reaction to the last time she truthfully answered a question. Still, whatever had allowed her to use lightning to fight him off had left her with enough energy that she was confident she could fight him off again if he reacted rashly. She said, "I was with the King and his bodyguard, at least I assume the man was his bodyguard, at first."

Cor stopped in his tracks, spinning around to look at her. "You were with Regis and Clarus?"

Hermione nodded, "Yes, that was the other man's name."

"What happened. Tell me everything."

So Hermione recounted her tale, trying to block out the images that surfaced of Clarus' impaled body and the blonde man's body on fire. She visibly choked up when telling Cor of the King's death. Hermione hadn't known him, but she could tell he'd been a good man. The obvious loyalty of his people and the heartbreak in their eyes had told her that much. He had sacrificed himself instead of escaping with them when he'd had the chance, his shield holding even after he'd been stabbed. She ended with Nyx's fight with the General, and Hermione's separation from Luna and Libertus.

Cor sighed, "Ulric, you always had to be the hero."

Hermione agreed with his assessment. The man had the aura of someone with a hero complex. Green eyes and messy black hair came to mind, another person with a hero complex. How much time had passed since her arrival? Did time even work the same? Surely, Harry and Ron would have started an investigation after she had failed to show up for their usual after work drink. Or had Luna taken care of that?

She left Cor to his thoughts as they continued their trek to his vehicle. She had so many questions about this place but knew not to voice them. She could tell he had made an assumption about her, and it would be in her best interest not to make him think otherwise. Besides, how would she even broach the topic of her not even being from here? She didn't think otherworldly travel was achievable here, even by witches and they already had poor reputations if his reaction was anything to go by.

They made it to a black motorcycle where Cor rummaged through the pack attached and proceeded to hand Hermione a bundle of clothes. He looked down at her trainers. "Not much we can do about those, but Hammerhead should have some basic combat boots close to your size, hopefully."

Hermione located a large boulder that she could change behind, and peeled off her ruined attire. Hermione made sure Cor wasn't attempting to look before using her wand to lessen the damage to her body. Her spells were weaker again, but Hermione didn't need to be fully healed. The bruises faded to an ugly yellowish-brown color, and her cuts closed until there was no chance of them reopening. Satisfied, she pulled on the clothes, making a note to see if she could mend her sweatshirt at the very least later in the future.

Cor had been right in his assumption that his clothes would not fit her. In fact, it had been an understatement. The jacket and tank top were too big, and no amount of belt pulling could make the pants stay up. Hermione pursed her lips. This wouldn't do. Hoping that witches here used magic similar to her own, Hermione shrunk the garments until they fit comfortably. Whatever boost Hermione had gotten earlier was fading as it took more effort to complete the task.

From what she could see the clothing was all black, the only discoloration being the whitish gray symbol on her tank top. The jacket was leather, something Hermione was sure would be cumbersome in the heat they were in. The trousers were not made of soft material, but still gave the feel of being comfortable to move around in. Her dirty trainers looked ridiculous with this outfit, but Hermione couldn't help that.

Walking back to Cor, she almost laughed at the shocked look on his face. He had clearly expected her to come out looking like a dwarf in his clothing. She also had a sinking feeling that the witches he had encountered were not her type of spell caster.

He looked her over, lip twitching as he stopped at her trainers. He said, "Are you able to shrink more than just clothes?"

She nodded. "Yes, why?"

Cor went back to his pack and pulled out a pair of black laced boots with red soles. He tossed them to her. "These are a better fit for that outfit, and it saves us time from having to find a pair that fits you." He looked at her expectantly.

Taking her wand out of her newly acquired trouser pocket she murmured the spell, watching Cor as the boots shrunk down to a size that would fit her. He was apparently surprised, a little wary. He didn't look like he was about to attack her again, which is what she had been looking for.

Instead, he nodded to her wand. "Is that your weapon? It doesn't look very sturdy."

She studied the piece of wood, it's vined pattern giving it a delicate look. "It's stronger than it looks, but yes, it can be broken." Realizing she probably shouldn't have told him that, Hermione quickly stuck it in her pocket. "Not that I need it. As you saw, I am adept at using my hands as well."

Cor frowned before going back to his pack murmuring, "That won't do." He brought out two daggers, their handles slightly curved. They reminded her of the knife Nyx had used before he'd thrown it at the ship shooting at them. He handed them to her.

She took them, confused. "What exactly is the point of giving me these?"

Cor continued to frown at her. "If that piece of wood breaks, I am not having you rely on your hands and nothing more should we enter combat."

Hermione raised a brow. "And what do you plan to have me do, stab whoever is attacking us?"

"Have you no weapons training?"

Hermione let out a little laugh. "I was a semi-decent archery student before… well before starting my magic training, but that's about it."

She might as well have told him the sky was falling for the look he was giving her. He shook his head, saying, "If we come across a bow, I'll be sure to get it for you. For now, I'll teach you the basics while we wait for the Prince."

Hermione blinked. "The Prince? As in Prince Noctis?"

Cor nodded, straddling his bike. "Yes, we are meeting at the royal tomb just past one of the hunter outposts. Now vanish your weapons, and let's get going." When she made no comment, he turned to look at her. "Problem?"

Hermione frowned and did as he asked, wandlessly and wordlessly vanishing the daggers. Her mouth dropped when a faint blue outline accompanied her magic. That had never happened before. Trying to work out the how's and why's Hermione made no comment on getting on, what she considered to be, a death trap. She also didn't question how Cor new she could vanish objects.

She used the time during the ride to go over everything she had learned in the short time she'd been here. Luna had been correct in thinking the Veil was more than an execution arch. Hermione wasn't sure if other worlds were connected to it, or just Eos and her own. Luna had often mentioned during their visits that her dreams had been guiding her. Had she dreamed of Hermione being in this place? Was Luna related, however distantly, to this Oracle?

Hermione wished for a safe, quiet place to once again read the books Luna had left with her. She'd read the Prophecy of the Chosen King, but had not given it much thought beyond the initial distaste of another prophecy related story. If Prince Noctis was indeed the Chosen King that the prophecy spoke of, Hermione wanted to comb every inch of the text available to her.

She frowned as she forced her mind not to get ahead of itself. She did not know what her purpose was here. She had been dumped into a world at war, but that did not necessarily mean she had to be intimately involved. There was a reason she hadn't joined the Auror program. She had taken a job that would be considered mysterious and dangerous to some, but in all reality was boring and safe. There had been a reason for that.

There was also the fact that this place was affecting her in strange ways. Her spells were weaker, yet she was able to manipulate an element with no problem, something that she never studied or practiced before now. There were too many variables out of her control. Even now, she was half afraid Cor was going to figure out she was no match for him and attack her for being a witch. Merlin knows he would have ended her if she hadn't been able to blast him back.

Maybe she should keep her heritage to herself around anyone else she met.

Hermione was startled when Cor swung the bike around, going back in the direction they'd come from. She tightened the grip she'd had on his sides, wondering what was going on.

He parked in the same place, getting off with the same determined look on his face that he'd had when she'd first seen him. She frowned, "What's going on?"

Hermione had to walk fast as his strides were long, and had no intention of slowing down for her. Cor said, "We have time before the Prince gets to our meeting point." He looked down at her. "I'm going back and making sure nothing happens to their bodies."

Hermione didn't have to ask who he was talking about. She jogged until she was walking backward in front of him. "There are still enemy soldiers down there."

"I know Insomnia like the back of my hand, I won't be seen." He frowned.

"They are definitely looking for you, though. Waiting with our transportation would be best. I won't be gone long."

Hermione contemplated doing just that. They didn't know what state the building she'd come from was in, or if his friend's bodies had already been taken away. The Empire was looking for her, and if Cor was as well known as she thought, then they would recognize him on sight.

But they had been his friends.

Damn it all.

She sighed but didn't say another word, turning around and walking beside him in silence. Logically, she knew this was a bad idea. She also knew that had it been Harry and Ron, Hermione would have risked anything to get to them.

Getting back into the city was easier than leaving it had been. The soldiers still in the city were focused at the gates and patrolling the main streets. Cor led her through the back roads, giving Hermione a lesson in stealth just by moving the way he did. Who knew a man as big as him could be nimble and silent? In fact, any close calls they came to were Hermione's fault.

Before she knew it, they were slipping through a side door into the tall structure that Hermione had landed in. Hermione kept her eyes forward, letting Cor lead the way. From the brief glimpse she had gotten of the floor, she knew what the rest of the building would look like; bodies scattered everywhere, walls crumbled or outright destroyed. She didn't have to worry about keeping vigilant, the place was deserted. If Cor noticed her attitude, he didn't say anything.

Hermione had told Cor what had happened to Clarus, but Cor still went shock still at the sight that greeted them when they reached the room where the treaty was supposed to be signed. Everything was the way Hermione had left it, from the blood and glass to Clarus impaled by his own sword on the wall. Cor's fist tightened before he walked to the wall. He murmured, "How am I supposed to get him down?"

Hermione cleared her throat, trying to avoid looking. It was taking everything she had not to get lost in the memory of the initial shock that had been the turning point in their fight against the general. "I can… I can get him down, with my magic."

Cor looked suspicious but nodded at her to proceed. Finally looking up, Hermione waved her wand. Slowly, the sword came loose from where it had embedded itself into stone. She raised her hand, quickly catching Clarus when the sword was freed and lowered both to the ground. Her brow furrowed at the ease at which she'd used wandless magic but the trouble she was having with her wand. It should have been the other way around.

Cor picked up the sword, wiping the blade with a cloth before handing it to Hermione. She raised a brow in question, and he said, "Put that with your Kukri's. His son should inherit it, and we'll be meeting up with him before long."

She did as he asked, concentrating on making it vanish to the same place as the daggers. It disappeared with a flash of blue. Hermione frowned. She had been hoping that had been a one-time thing.

"Where's the King," Cor asked. Hermione pointed to the destroyed elevator.

He sighed, "Alright. Take Clarus to the garden. I'll join you."

He left before Hermione could ask where the garden was.

Why the man thought she should know her way around the place, Hermione wasn't sure. But she recognized the need for Cor to have some time alone, so Hermione levitated Clarus and made her way out of the room. She walked down random halls, admiring the regal feel of the place. Before the fighting, it must have been a beautiful building. She wondered if the King had lived here, if this was considered a palace. It was clear the world she had landed in was set in a very far away future than her own. While Hermione's inner woman sighed at the thought of beautiful old castles, the more practical side of her could appreciate the power structure of this place. It was clearly meant to be the seat of power.

She looked out a window and found the garden. Hermione was surprised to see that it had escaped the damage the rest of the building had sustained. The land was covered with colorful flowers of all kinds. It looked so peaceful, something out of place among the destruction. She could see herself reading among the flowers, soaking up the sun's rays.

Looking at Clarus' floating body, Hermione bit her lip. She had absolutely no idea how to get to the garden, but she could see it. It wouldn't be hard to just apparate.

Focusing on the flowers below, she visualized herself and Clarus at the spot just before they started. The squeezing tube like sensation that appeared with Apparition came, and then they were in the garden. The nauseated feeling she got reminded her that she hadn't eaten anything since Luna's visit. Had they even eaten anything? They had drunk that weird tea, but Hermione wasn't sure.

Sitting on the ground, Hermione combed her fingers through her tangled hair, gently taking out the knots as she waited for Cor. What were friends doing right now? Had they realized she was missing yet? Had an investigation been started? Had her entry into the Death Chamber with Luna been noticed? Hermione found it hard to believe that no one had seen her mind controlled form moving into an area she was not authorized to go in. Luna shouldn't have been able to move so freely within the Department of Mysteries.

She really hoped the blonde had come up with a good reason for

Hermione's disappearance. As much as she would love for someone to realize what happened and demand answers, possibly bring her back, Hermione did not want her loved ones to suffer. She could imagine Harry racked with guilt over not being able to find her. He would never give up. He had vowed one cold evening while they were on the run that he would never abandon her as long as he lived. He'd stuck by her through everything, even when she and Ron were debating whether they wanted to remain friends. He had made her baby James' godmother.

Everything hit her all at once. She was stuck in another world where her only companion was a middle-aged man who was prone to violence. She had fought and seen death, something that she had never wanted to do again. She had already made it on the wrong list of the enemy, and that very same enemy had just decimated a city. This time her boys weren't by her side. There was no Golden Trio here. It was just her.

She stopped messing with her hair, covering her face with her palms as she sobbed. She was sitting next to a dead man for Merlin's sake. What was worse, her journey had only just begun. She could feel it.

A hand touched her shoulder, giving a quick squeeze. Hermione stopped crying and looked up. Cor was looking down at her, his face entirely too calm. He helped her to her feet, Hermione barely noticing the body that lay next to Clarus'. Someone, probably Cor, had closed the King's eyes. It made him look like he was sleeping, a common deception.

Cor led her to a bench. "I won't be too long."

Hermione frowned. "Don't you need help?"

Cor looked away. "There's no way to ensure where I've buried them stays untouched. I'm going to burn them. It won't take longer than it needs to."

She looked at the two deceased men. "Is that what you want to do?"

"It's what needs to be done."

Moving away from him, Hermione made her way to the bodies. "Risking your attack, you know I have a power that isn't connected to the King's." At his silence, she continued. "We can bury them, and I will make it so that their resting place stay's safe."

Cor nodded once, moving to get to work.

He insisted on doing the heavy work himself, leaving Hermione to stand and watch as he worked out his grief at burying two close friends. He didn't cry or shout. He didn't get angry. His expression was focused, unapproachable. He was so wrapped up in his task that she was sure she had been forgotten.

He was a silent bodyguard when it was time for Hermione to do her part. He watched as she drew ruins in the upturned dirt, making sure to encompass both bodies. Summoning one of the daggers, she make a slash with her palm, Hermione spilled her blood on each of the characters. The runes glowed briefly before settling. She moved to heal her hand but was surprised to find it healing already, her palm bathed in blue. Hermione turned to Cor. "Until I release the runes or die, nothing will get through to them."

Cor nodded thoughtfully, looking at her intensely. Without a word, he turned at led them to the front of the building. He used the same path he'd taken to get them there. The sun was still shining high in the sky, the destruction of a once beautiful city all the more evident as they made their way back. Hermione wondered if Cor grew up in the city. He had been remarkably strong-willed during their venture into the city. She feared she was one scare away from breaking down. This man had buried two friends, walked through his destroyed city with someone he clearly had reservations over and was still walking like none of it affected him.

Despite her earlier misgivings, Hermione was glad she was with someone who appeared unbreakable. After all, she knew all about being scared for her life but having to put out a strong front for those that looked up to her.

Just before they reached the way they would need to use to get out, a lance plunged to the ground in front of them. Cor's sword was out before the tip hit the ground, shielding them from any damage that might have been caused by the ensuing wind. Hermione brought her wand up in reflex, then thought better of it and summoned the daggers instead. Her wand was proving to be a problem in her current climate, not something she thought she'd ever say.

The owner of the lance landed next to it with catlike grace. She didn't seem concerned that Cor had taken an aggressive stance, picking up her weapon from where it landed. She was dressed head to toe in black and red, like the general from the Empire. Not that Hermione would call the ensemble good armor considering her abdomen was exposed. The spiked helmet covered her face, silver-blonde hair the only discerning feature Hermione could see.

She sized them up, making no move to attack. Her eyes roamed up and down Hermione's length, smirking at what she saw. Cor moved in front of her, cutting off the woman's view. "Highwind," He spoke as if they were exchanging pleasantries at the market. "I've heard of you, impressive stories."

Highwind lifted a hand to her helmeted face, chuckling, "My exploits have reached The Immortal's ears. I am truly honored."

The next thing Hermione knew they had advanced on each other. It had happened in a blink, no clear aggressor. She gripped her daggers tight as they moved. There was no way she could keep up with them, not with these knives. They moved in a way that should not be humanly possible, their movements almost too fast for the average eye.

Highwind suddenly launched into the air, Cor's swing stopping abruptly. Hermione looked around and then with dread looked up at the sky. She dropped her daggers in a panic, bringing up her palms in automatic defense of the lance headed straight for her. A barrier erupted just before it hit, the metal striking the shiny tile-like dome. Highwind landed on the shield, smiling in delight at what Hermione had done. Desperate, Hermione looked for Cor and saw him dodging the machine gun from the airship she hadn't heard approach. They were keeping him occupied. He wouldn't be coming to her rescue anytime soon.

Highwind pressed her lance further into the shield, fissures cracking her protection like it was made of glass. Right before it gave out Hermione let it drop, rolling forward and snatching a dagger as Highwind fell forward. She shot a wandless Bombarda Maxima, Highwind dodging before the spell could hit her weapon. Hermione ran and picked up the other dagger, bringing them in front of her chest as the lance came down. The force of the attack flattened her to the ground, rubble digging into her back.

Sweat poured down her face, Hermione keeping up her daggers by sheer will. Highwind was smirking at her, clearly not giving her all. That irritated Hermione. Here she was fighting for her life, and her opponent couldn't even take their fight seriously. If she had been thinking clearly, she would have appreciated it, but Hermione was not thinking clearly.

Concentrating fiercely on Highwind's stupid lance Hermione muttered, "Deletrius." 1Now she was smirking as the lance slowly disintegrated right before their eyes.

Highwind was shocked but didn't lament the loss of her weapon. Before Hermione could move, Highwind stood to her full height and planted a boot on her chest. Hermione made an aggravated sound, throwing her head back in defiance. Highwind sighed, "Now I'll have to get a new weapon. Niflheim ain't paying me enough." She smiled. "Look, I just want the ring. Those are my orders. Find the curly haired Glaive and retrieve the ring." Hermione said nothing. "I know you have it. You worked your King's magic." She pressed the boot just a little deeper. Hermione clenched her teeth but stayed silent. Highwind frowned. "I don't want to use excessive force, you're cute and those aren't my orders."

Hermione stared at her incredulously. The woman _hadn't_ been using unnecessary force before now?

Grumbling, Highwind bent down and looked at Hermione's hands. She looked up sharply after seeing no jewelry on her fingers. "You don't have the ring."

Hermione simply moved her shoulders in what she hoped resembled a shrug.

Highwind jumped back, a long sword swinging where she had previously been standing. Cor pulled Hermione up, pushing her behind him. He didn't look the worse for wear, his clothes had even managed to remain unscathed. Highwind held her hands up in a gesture of surrender. "I wasn't ordered to kill you. I'll be taking my leave now." A metal ladder descended from the sky, Highwind jumping on it and disappearing as the airship flew away.

Cor waited until they'd left his sight before turning to look Hermione over. "What was she looking for," he questioned.

Hermione grimaced. "The ring. She thought I had it, because of my magic." She remembered the barrier she'd conjured to block the attack from the sky. Her shield had never manifested like that before, but she had seen King Regis conjure one that looked almost identical during his fight with the general.

A rush of dizziness attacked her, causing Hermione to stumble. Arms caught her, a voice that sounded faraway speaking. She tried to keep her eyes open, but she lost the fight, falling unconscious.


	4. Chapter 4

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* * *

 **Chapter 4**

Hermione slowly opened her eyes as the sound of fire crackling reached her ears. She was lying on the ground, the night sky the first thing she saw. At first, Hermione panicked. She hadn't been camping in five years. Was this a dream, the start of a nightmare? Hermione focused on the stars, confusion filling her. She recognized none of the clusters. She couldn't be anywhere near the United Kingdom. Then it all came back; the Veil, the fighting and almost dying, meeting Cor. She closed her eyes in despair. This was worse than a nightmare. At least those she could wake up from.

Hermione sat up slowly; her body was still hurting though not as much as it would have had she not healed herself. Cor was sitting on the ground with a bowl of food, eating mechanically and staring into the fire. He was aware of her, his eyes locking with hers briefly when she stood up, but otherwise ignored her when she sat down next to him. He wordlessly handed her another bowl. Hermione thanked him quietly and didn't ask what it was. She wasn't sure what counted as cuisine around here, and for the sake of her sanity would probably never ask.

Her stomach let out an embarrassing grumble at the smell of food. Cor's mouth twitched but said nothing. Hermione lifted the fork to her mouth and concentrated on filling her stomach instead of attempting to draw him into conversation. She knew exactly what he was doing. On a night like this, out in the middle of nowhere, there was plenty of time to think and Cor had lost at least two friends today, possibly more. He was isolating himself in his mind, looking back on memories and 'what if's.' She didn't tell him it wasn't healthy; she felt she didn't need to. Not once had he broken today while in her company, and Hermione just knew that he wouldn't let his emotions get the best of him.

He was lucky to be alive. If she had planned to take over a country, she would have gone for the most important people of power right away. Cor had a close relationship with King Regis. She had no doubt he held an essential role in the running of the country. A man like him would have been right beside them now that she thought of it. He would have been in the thick of it, yet he'd been going back into the city when they'd met.

Faint rumbling, almost like the start of an earthquake, alerted Hermione that something was in the area. To her growing horror, a literal giant with a big sword slowly rose from the earth. It had to be a daemon, though the book Luna had given her hadn't explained much besides their origins. Cor didn't look bothered by it, calmly finishing his meal, though his eyes had taken to staring at the daemon instead of the fire. It took slow, measured steps that rocked the ground, but didn't attack the obvious targets sitting out in the open.

Cor placed a hand on Hermione's tense shoulder. "Do not worry. It will disappear by morning, and we won't leave the campsite before then."

Hermione still didn't understand. "Why is it not attacking us? Not that I want it to, but I find it hard to believe it wouldn't charge at us as the first opportunity."

"It would," Cor agreed. "We're at a haven, so it shouldn't even register our presence before daylight."

Haven? Where had Hermione heard that before? She thought back to the book Luna had given her. There had been something about haven's in there, she was sure of it. Something to do with safe places, protection maybe? It clicked when Hermione looked at the edge of the circle and saw faint lines of blue. Of course, there were runes. She had found it interesting when she'd first read about them. Placed by the Astrals as a gift to the people to protect them from Daemons? Hermione had wished she could take a look at some up close, back when she'd thought this place some ancient lost magical society and not another world.

Now it seemed Hermione was camping in one.

Forgetting about the daemon entirely, she set her bowl down to walk to the edge of their campsite. The runes were shining brightly in the darkness. It was hard to believe that something so old existed. They should have been losing their power by now, the magic fading as time passed. She supposed with Gods as the inscribers, their magic was powerful enough to last. There had been a few wizards in her world whose magic still touched them long after their deaths.

She wanted to get a good look at them, so Hermione leaned over slightly, trying to make out the full thing and see if she recognized it. A hand on her jacket yanked her back. She glared up at Cor who was giving her a stern look. "Are you out of your mind," he asked.

She shrugged off his hand, not liking his tone. "I was trying to get a good look at the runes. I haven't seen them before, and runes happen to be an expertise of mine."

Cor sighed and cast his eyes to the sky before looking back her. "Any further off the rock and you would have left the protection of the campsite."

Her anger deflated, leaving her feeling like she'd been scolded by one of her Professor's. "I apologize, I didn't realize I was that close to falling off." She smiled at him sheepishly. "It seems you're always coming to my rescue. I haven't thanked you for not just leaving me in the city when I passed out."

"I was only doing my duty," Cor grunted before taking back his place in front of the fire. "Though now that you bring it up, your stamina needs improvement. For someone who wields the King's magic as well as your own, you tire too easily. You also rely too much on magic that you're weapons handling is abysmal. You only survived Highwind's attack, because she was toying with you."

She frowned, flushing at the man pointing out her inadequacies. "I haven't had to rely on anything but magic to fight. I already told you I'd be bad." She couldn't exactly tell him her magic had started acting weird when she didn't know the reason.

Cor grimaced. "I didn't know it was that bad. Even after you started harnessing your magic, those archery lessons should have continued at the very least." He turned back the fire. "You're going to need to improve if you're to join Noctis on his journey."

Hermione blinked. "What? Why would I be going with him?"

Cor didn't look at her. "There are things I need to do that would be better done if I move on my own. His Shield can train you, and make you stronger." He looked at her then. "Besides, I get this feeling that you're supposed to be with him. He needs all the help he can get. As much I think you need to improve, I can't discount that you _can_ wield magic."

If that was the case, then why did Hermione feel like a burden he was eager to get rid of?

* * *

Hermione hadn't realized it last night, but they had camped almost on top of the entrance to the valley that held their meeting location. Their destination, something Cor called a royal tomb, was below them almost literally. Hermione had been disappointed that the runes had faded a great deal with the sun and Cor wouldn't let her linger to try and decipher what she could make out. She didn't see the point in needing to be by the tomb when the prince came, they were a short climb down after all, but Cor wouldn't hear of it. So Hermione cast one more longing glance at the runes before following Cor.

She was attempting to finger comb the monster she called hair when high pitched screeching invaded the air. They looked up, Cor muttering, "Daggerquill." The birds were circling them, eyes focused on the spot they were standing. "We need to take care of those before the prince gets here."

Since they were looking at them like they could attack any moment, Hermione was inclined to agree. She'd never seen birds this size, the beasts larger than any bird back in her world. She turned to Cor to see what he was going to do and found him looking at her expectantly. She squirmed, a bad feeling washing over her. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Daggerquill are not so dangerous that it takes more than one person to kill them." Cor leaned against the rock wall next to him. "Take them out."

"Me," Hermione asked incredulously. "Weren't you just saying that my fighting ability leaves much to be desired?"

Cor nodded. "Yes, but these are a good starter hunt. They are weak to fire, and your Kukri's will be fine against them."

She stared at him in the hope that he was not serious, but he watched her without a hint of a smile. Merlin, of course he was serious. Hermione had yet to see the man make a joke. Huffing, she summoned one of the daggers and walked a little bit away from him.

The first thing she needed to do was find a way to bring them down to the ground. She could try the fire, but that would cause the others to come after her. She could use her own magic, but what spell could she use to take them all down at once. That was essentially the problem. There were different ways she could do this, but she had no desire to be attacked by the remaining birds before she could take them out. A memory of her second-year defense class came to her, making Hermione smile even as she drew her wand. Pointing the wood at the Daggerquill Hermione shouted, "Immobulus!"

Wings stopped flapping, and the birds of prey floated in the sky, frozen. Pleased, Hermione used her new elemental power to bring them down. She didn't feel weakened as she had been when using her wand this time. Food and sleep had done wonders for her.

Cor marched up to her, displeasure clear on his face. "What was that?"

Confused, Hermione looked at the birds and then back at a fuming Cor. "I took down the Daggerquill, like you told me to."

"That wasn't what I wanted you to do. You were supposed to use your Kukri's at some point. Instead, you used… whatever witchcraft that was."

Aggrieved, Hermione threw her hands into the air. "You told me to kill these things, and I did. Why does it matter how I did it? I saved myself unnecessary fighting." Her hair was starting to spark with the annoyance of it all, her anger coming to the surface. Hadn't she told him she didn't know how to fight? Hadn't he made it clear she didn't know what to do with the knives he'd given her? Having a degree of elemental power was a perk Hermione had never thought she'd have, but she was a witch. Her magic came instinctively to her. She couldn't shut it off and fight with weapons she had no business possessing when she had a better way to do things.

Cor did not comment on the fact Hermione's hair was starting to emit hints of electrical discharge. Instead, he crossed his arms over his chest and stared down at her. "I don't know what secluded world you've been living in, but witchcraft is not accepted here. Just because I have not experienced the type of magic you use does not mean others haven't. Telling people you're a witch is the best way to get a mob going. You will not jeopardize the prince's safety that way."

"Oh yes, your reaction when we first met was a good indicator of how witches are treated here." Cor didn't react to her reminder that he had drawn his sword on her. "I can't just turn off years of instinct, Cor. Magic is only evil if the wielder chooses that path."

Cor sighed, "Alright, but I still think you need to train with weapons as well. Magic isn't always going to cut it."

Hermione made a neutral sound, neither in disagreement or agreement. She could see his point, but her magic had never failed her. Cor had called the elemental magic she now possessed the King's magic. Hermione could only draw her own conclusions without looking any more suspicious than she already did. He hadn't asked any questions regarding her origins, but that could change at any second.

Instead, since he had brought it up, Hermione asked, "What experience do you have with witches?"

Cor scowled, looking at a point above her head. "Not much. I only know what the Hunter's have passed along, and there is only one witch who wields the same weapon you do." Cor gestured to her wand at her confused face.

Hermione fought to keep her face from giving away her shock. So there were others like her here, at least one. Hermione knew she would have to find this witch. If she was the only wand wielder, then she had come from Hermione's world. The fact that she still lived her didn't give Hermione much hope in finding a way back, but she would have information at the very least.

"Is she evil," Hermione asked carefully.

Cor shrugged. "The Hunter's think so, and I trust their judgment."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "The same Hunter's who declared all witchcraft is evil?"

Cor's lips pulled up into what could be called a half smile before going back to their usual frown. "Point, but I know they are forbidden from going near her. The Meldacio Hunter HQ should have more information on her." His brow furrowed. "Though how you don't already know her is strange as you two choose to work your magic with a wooden stick."

Hermione filed the name of the place away in her mind and ignored Cor's last comment. She walked to the royal tomb, Cor immediately following and eventually walking ahead of her. Hermione was too busy staring at the beautiful architecture that was the royal tomb to be annoyed. The stone structure was in good shape, hand-carved markings still visible on the door. There were no cracks, the statue above the entrance still complete. This place was protected by magic, she could feel the energy of this place like a hum in the back of her mind. It was the same constant feeling that had stayed with her since she'd used the lightning on Cor, but something all it's own at the same time.

Hermione paused as Cor took out a key and inserted it into the lock. The door opened on its own, a single sarcophagus in the center. She vaguely noticed the statues lining the wall and the single one in the back. Her attention was focused on the detailed figure that was a previous King. He was holding a sword at a position of rest, the way she imagined he would have been buried when he'd died. Hermione's vision blurred a little as she reached out to touch the sword, blue lights swirling around her.

Cor looked up in alarm as the magic in the tomb picked up. He pulled Hermione away from the grave before she could touch the sword. Her eyes were unfocused, pinkish red on the edge of her iris. He moved her to the back, the farthest he could get her away from the tomb without taking her outside. He wanted to shake her, demand what the hell she was thinking but something told him she hadn't been in control of her actions. If the Lucian Kings were taking anyone who had their blood, he'd have to warn Ignis not to let Hermione anywhere near any of the tombs until Noctis had claimed the weapon in them.

Hermione's eyes slowly sharpened, her mind clearing as she realized she was leaning against someone's chest. She looked up to find Cor scowling down at her. She sighed, "What did I do now?"

His scowl deepened. "What do you remember?"

Hermione thought back to her what she was doing before finding herself in Cor's arms. "I was looking at the resting place of the King."

Cor opened his mouth but stopped what he was going to say when the doors opened. He let go of Hermione, walking to meet the four men that walked in. They hadn't noticed her, their eyes focused on Cor. No, that was a lie. Two of the men, one very large and overly muscled and another with glasses, had noticed her as soon as they'd walked in. They kept glancing at her, expressions calm but curious. The other two, they looked younger than her, hadn't taken in their surroundings yet. Of the two, she knew the man with unruly black hair was the prince. There was no explaining how she knew, but the hum of power she could feel under her skin and in the tomb was the same coming off him.

Hermione did not want to think about what it meant that she could feel that same connection within her.

She'd missed what Cor was telling them, but the prince's voice brought her back to the conversation. "My duty as King of what?"

Everyone looked at him in surprise, including Hermione. His words held an undercurrent of anger, his eyes hard. She tried to be sympathetic and not judge his attitude. He may be the prophesied savior of this world, but he had just lost his father, and his country had been invaded. Besides, divination was nothing but rubbish and prophecies only came true because people believed in them so much. They were self-fulfilling. Unfortunately, King Regis and Lunafreya had seemed to believe it when he'd given her his ring for safe keeping.

"Now is not the time to question your calling." Cor was pacing back and forth in front of them. "A King is sworn to protect his people."

Noctis looked at the ground, his fists clenching. "Yet he chose to protect only one prince. Was that his calling? Forsake the masses to spare his own son?"

Hermione watched Cor as he walked closer to the Prince. "How long will you remain the protected? The King entrusted the role of protector to you."

Those seemed to be the wrong words to say. Noctis slammed his hands on the tomb. "Entrusted it to me? Then why didn't he tell me that?" His voice cracked. "Why did he stand there smiling as I left?" He looked down at the ground, shoulders slumping. "Why did he lie to me?"

No one said a word, none of them knowing how to best comfort the prince. Hermione's heart went out to him, wishing she knew him well enough to engulf him in one of her hugs. They always seemed to make Harry feel better, and she hated just standing there as he tried not to grieve.

Finally, Cor sighed, "That day… He didn't want you to remember him as the King. In what time you had left, he wanted to be your father. He always had faith in you. That when the time came, you would ascend for the sake of your people."

Noctis struggled to keep the tears from falling. "I guess he gave me no choice." Holding his hand out to the sword on the tomb, the weapon glowed as it rose from its resting place. It pierced Noctis in the chest, the prince letting out a grunt as he stumbled back. Hermione rubbed her chest as she felt… something. She didn't know how to describe it. It didn't hurt, but it wasn't comfortable either. The magic of the tomb had dispersed for the most part. There was still some residue left, the smallest hint of power, but it seemed the magic had been coming from the sword all along.

She missed what Cor told the boys, but the prince and the blonde walked out while the other two waited by the entrance, eyes on her. Cor walked back to her. "I need to talk to Ignis and Gladio. Go wait outside."

The abruptness of his tone was one he hadn't used with her before. It immediately put her back up, but she didn't question his change of attitude. She walked past him, saying, "A please would have been nice." She nodded to the men, joining the prince and his companion outside.

The blonde perked up as she walked over to them. "Hi! I'm Prompto, and this is Noctis. What's your name?"

She observed the way he was practically bouncing in place before giving him a small smile. "I'm Hermione."

Prompto grinned. "That's a pretty name. What are you doing with The Marshall?"

Hermione shrugged. "Apparently waiting for you. He's sending me with your group."

Noctis focused on her then, the prince having been looking at Cor talking to Ignis and Gladio. "Why?" He narrowed his eyes. "You have magic."

That wasn't a question, and it caught Hermione by surprise. "How can you tell?"

"I can feel it," Noctis answered, watching her. "Were you Kingsglaive?"

Not this again. "No, I wasn't."

Prompto jumped in excitedly. "Are you a child of one of the Six?"

Hermione was confused for a second before realizing he must be talking about the Astrals. "Of course not. What kind of ridiculous question is that?"

Prompto pouted for a second before shrugging. "You have King's magic."

Hermione sighed, "It didn't occur to either one of you that this magic is my own?" At their unconvinced looks, Hermione was reminded of her boys. The urge to roll her eyes and give a long-suffering sigh was strong. "I didn't get my magic from your King."

Prompto and Noctis shared a look before nodding in agreement and saying, "Child of the Six."

Damn it.

* * *

Gladio, Ignis, and Cor watched Hermione walk out after her parting words to Cor. Gladio raised a brow and turned to Cor. "Who's that?"

Cor walked up to them, leaning on one of the statues. "Her name is Hermione. Once I separate from you, she'll be going with you."

Ignis said nothing, merely cocked his head to the side in question. "Is there a reason," Gladio questioned.

Cor debated just ordering them to keep their questions to themselves, but then that would mean they'd start badgering her. "What I tell you must remain a secret for now. The Prince cannot know, not while he has a duty to focus on." At their nods, he continued. "She has Lucis royal blood."

Gladio and Ignis both sucked in surprised breaths. Ignis recovered first. "You're certain?"

Cor nodded. "Yes, she wields the King's magic." He kept the witchcraft to himself. He still believed that if she trained enough, her first instinct wouldn't be to use magic that still set him on edge. Maybe if he broke her stick, she wouldn't be able to use it anymore?

"That does not necessarily mean she is of royal blood," Ignis argued. "There are other explanations. For example, she could be favored by one of the Six."

"Could be," Cor agreed. "But Hermione accidentally activating the magic of the tomb leaves no doubt that she is a part of the Lucis Caelum line."

Gladio cursed, and Ignis looked over at the brunette sharply. She was shaking her head at something Noctis and Prompto were saying, her body relaxed in a way she hadn't achieved with Cor. All the better, as she would be joining them anyway.

Gladio sighed, "Do we need to be worried?"

Cor would have been offended by the question if he didn't approve of Gladio asking in the first place. "I don't think so. I pulled her away from the tomb before she could take its power, and she seemed genuinely confused by what had happened. She hasn't mentioned her heritage, which is suspect, but I trust there is a reason she wants no one to know." He hesitated before voicing his suspicions. "I don't think she knows she's a Lucis Caelum, but she was also with the King when Insomnia fell."

At the mention of their city, the men grew solemn. Neither man had asked Cor if he'd had any information regarding Insomnia and their families. If they had run into Monica, Gladio would know that his sister had made it out of the city if she hadn't contacted him already. With the King dead, he already knew what his father's fate had been. Ignis was a smart man whose thought process never stopped. He would be under no illusions that his family had made it out of Insomnia as they had all been at the Citadel in some capacity.

Gladio looked at the brunette again. "If she was with the King, then my father knew about her."

Cor wasn't surprised Gladio had reached that conclusion. He'd done the same within minutes of meeting her. He wondered if Cid and maybe even Wes knew about her, and didn't that sting a little? To know that a man he considered his brother might have kept her existence a secret only from him. When he'd stopped in Hammerhead to give Cid instructions for the prince, he hadn't asked if the old man knew her. He'd been afraid of the answer, afraid to have his thoughts confirmed.

That was a moot point anyway, considering her experience with the tomb, but at the time he hadn't wanted to know.

Ignis pinched the bridge of his nose. "She is a distraction his Highness does not need at the moment, and she _would_ be one if Noctis were to find out he has a sister. I trust you believe her joining us will be beneficial as long as her heritage is unknown?"

"Yes. I work better alone, and I'd feel better if she was with you than at a refuge station." Cor addressed Gladio. "She needs to be trained. She has the magic controlled, but has no weapons experience." At Gladio's shocked expression, Cor chuckled, "My reaction was pretty much the same. I gave her some Kukri's to start."

Gladio let his head fall back against the wall. "Like training one royal wasn't a pain in the ass to start. Now I have to train another one on top of everything else."

Cor patted him on the shoulder. "I have faith you can do it."

With that, he walked out of the tomb, mind already moving on to the next thing they needed to do.


	5. Chapter 5

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* * *

 **Chapter 5**

Hermione was relieved to see Cor walk out of the tomb, making her way towards him with a quick nod to Noctis and Prompto. She eyed Ignis and Gladio, she didn't know who was who, as they followed Cor out and walked to the boys. There was tension in the air as they made eye contact with her for a second before looking away. She frowned at Cor. "Did you tell them I'm a witch?"

Cor shook his head. "That would be a bad idea. I want you to keep the magic use to a minimum, don't let them see it."

Hermione blew out a frustrated breath. "It's instinct, Cor!"

The guys threw the pair a startled look at her shout. Cor's eyes narrowed dangerously, warning her to keep her voice down. "You'll have to fight it. Do not bring that wooden stick out for anything, or I will break it. Do you understand?"

Eyes wide, Hermione nodded. The hard glint in his eyes told her he would go through with his threat if she didn't comply. Hermione could not lose her wand.

Cor walked her back to the others, the group making their way down the steps of the royal tomb. The silence was uncomfortable, nobody knowing how to defuse the tension that seemed to come from different sources. Hermione wanted to ignore the men, her anger and inability to stand up to Cor making her a poor traveling companion at the moment, but her curiosity won out in the end. "Where are we headed?"

Cor answered, "There is another royal tomb nearby."

Noctis looked at Cor. "How many of these powers are out there?"

"There are thirteen known royal arms, each enshrined in a royal tomb. We know the location of only a few. I've enlisted the help of the Hunter's. They comb the land in search of the lost tombs."

Hermione pondered the information, even as she internally snorted at the idea of Hunter's being in charge of finding the places they needed to go. She'd never met a Hunter, but already she had the impression of the Muggles that were scared enough of magic to deem it evil. She wouldn't trust them, but by the way no one seemed concerned led her to believe she was the only one. That made sense. She knew she wasn't being fair. If Cor hadn't told her what he had about them, Hermione probably would've reserved judgment.

It was interesting that there were only thirteen royal arms when the Lucian line was so long. She wondered where the others were. The power from the weapon had been immense, enough to radiate from the entire structure for an extended period.

Snarls surrounded the area as a group of skeletal-like creatures jumped from the rocks and surrounded them. Hermione immediately went for her wand, but the reminder of Cor's threat had her summoning her daggers instead. The men leaped into action, Noctis apparating like Nyx to the closest one. The fight was over within seconds, Hermione having wasted her time in summoning her weapons.

Cor walked over to stand by her as he looked at Prompto. "That wasn't bad, Prompto."

Prompto's face flushed as he looked at Noctis. "Did I just get praised by the Immortal?"

Noctis turned a little to hide his grin. "Looks like."

Hermione and Cor hung back from the group, letting them walk ahead. He said, "You didn't even fight."

Hermione snorted, "Please, my help wasn't needed. You five took those things out before I could do more than summon the daggers."

Cor nodded. "True. They were easy targets. I should probably stay out of those fights. I'll never get a measure of their strength if I jump into every combat situation we run into."

Hermione raised a brow in question. "They seem plenty strong already. I don't imagine the King would have let them leave the city if they couldn't handle themselves."

"Niflheim wasn't actively hunting them then. The empire was still focused on the Crystal and King Regis." Cor sighed, "Now the fate of the world rests on a King that isn't ready."

Hermione watched the messy haired boy as he joked around with Prompto. From what she understood, his father never prepared him for the possibility of an invasion. He hadn't even gotten a chance to grieve before being reminded of his duty to his country. Did he even know that people believed him to be the 'Chosen King'? Merlin, she felt for him. How could she not when she looked at him and his situation, and saw Harry?

Thinking of her best friend, Hermione placed a comforting hand on Cor's arm. "I wouldn't worry. He may not be ready now, but he'll get there."

The sound of airships caught their attention. Cor frowned as they looked up. They were landing in the same area their group was walking towards. "Long ago, we waged a fierce battle against the Empire. It all went to ruin. After that, the Empire moved in like it owned the place."

Hermione itched to cast a revealing spell, get a count on how many there were, but she wasn't sure the rest of them wouldn't be able to see it. Instead, she turned to Cor. "How many soldiers can be transported in one of those?"

Cor grimaced. "A couple dozen. Stick close to me."

She didn't need to be told twice. The boys ran forward, Noctis apparating at the first soldier he saw. The four worked in concert with each other, Cor taking care of another wave of enemies while Hermione distracted them with elemental magic. She was so focused on the troopers in front of her that she didn't notice the rapid gunfire until someone knocked her to the ground behind a boulder.

Hermione looked up in shock. Her rescuer, she still didn't know if he was Gladio or Ignis, was already peeking over the rock. His black jacket was open, no shirt underneath, and was surprisingly not riddled with bullet holes. He was holding a giant sword, similar to Clarus', so she concluded this must be Noctis' Shield.

She moved next to him, taking quick looks in between fire to assess their situation. Somehow she had gotten separated from Cor, he was going to yell at her later, and had not noticed the multiple machine guns that had joined the fight. Cor was with the others, keeping them down as they were getting no reprieve from the shooting. They were all sufficiently pinned.

Her companion looked down at her. "Are you alright?"

Hermione nodded. "You have my thanks, Mr…"

"Gladio," he grunted. "Just Gladio."

"Gladio," Hermione repeated. "Like the flower Gladiolus?"

He gave her a quick disbelieving look that conveyed what he thought of her asking questions about his name in the middle of a fight. "That is my name. Mother was fond of flowers." He cursed as another hail of bullets kept him from getting up. "We have to do something about those machine guns. Any longer and Noct will try to take them all out himself."

"Can he take them out by himself?"

Gladio shook his head. "Not without a distraction. They're gunning for him more than the rest of us."

Hermione ran through scenarios in her mind, finding a couple that might work. "If we provide the distraction, will he take that as a signal?"

Gladio eyed her. "What do you have in mind?"

She grinned, using her newfound power to create a barrier like the one that had kept Highwind at bay. "We can shift their focus to us if we make it seem like we're going after them."

Gladio considered, watching bullets hit the barrier without causing damage to Hermione. "Can you keep it up while staying here?"

Hermione frowned. "I suppose." She didn't actually know if that was possible, but in theory it should work.

"Shield me then. Cor will have my hide if you get hurt." Gladio didn't give her a chance to argue, jumping over the rock and trusting Hermione to keep the barrier over him.

There were shouts as the others saw Gladio walking towards the machinery, but stopped as they realized a strong shield was keeping the bullets away from him. They looked back to the rock he'd been hiding behind to see Hermione with both hands out, a fierce look of concentration on her face. The troopers operating the machine guns focused all their fire on Gladio, parts of the force field breaking and reforming within seconds. Noctis looked back at Hermione, visible sweat running down her face, and realized she wouldn't be able to hold up the barrier in time for Gladio to take out all the guns shooting at them. Making a decision, he warped to the farthest one, taking it out and moving to the next. They all came down under his strikes before they could realize they were targeting the wrong enemy.

Hermione's shoulders relaxed as she let down the barrier, her limbs shaking. Keeping the barrier up under the constant fire had been taxing. She wished she had a Vitamix Potion on hand. The last thing she wanted to do was succumb to magical exhaustion, forcing the men with her to wonder what happened and try waking her before her body was ready.

Gladio walked up to her, placing a hand on her lower back as she tried to stay upright. "Are you going to be alright?"

Hermione nodded, willing her legs to get ahold of themselves. "I'll be fine with some rest. It seems that keeping up a barrier under continuous assault is energy draining."

Gladio snorted, "You sound like Iggy, but I get you. Come on; you can lean on me. We have something that should help you."

Hermione let him take most of her weight, placing a hand on his jacket to keep from stumbling. They walked up to their group, Cor watching her from his place next to Noctis. Gladio said, "She needs a restorative."

Ignis nodded while Cor gave her a look over. "You look like you're going to pass out."

Hermione sighed, "Yes, well I imagine if I had kept it up any longer I would have."

Prompto slapped a hand on her back, almost knocking her down in his enthusiasm and causing Gladio to grab her tighter with a growl of warning at the blonde. "Sorry, sorry, that was just so cool. Noctis can't make a shield, so this is the first time I've seen one."

Hermione looked over at the prince, sending a grateful smile to Ignis when he handed her a small bottle. "You can't produce a barrier?"

Noctis shrugged. "Never tried, but I can't use the magic the same way you can. You were using it like the Kingsglaive."

That was odd. Hermione had seen his father use lightning and the barrier much the same way. Was there something wrong with him? He was able to apparate just fine. In fact, it looked like he had a strong affinity for the power with the way he kept jumping from place to place.

Metal landing on the ground alerted the group that they weren't alone. Giant metal suits had been dropped from the sky, the airships carrying them flying away. They wasted no time in shooting at them, missiles coming at them instead of bullets. They were coming from all sides; there was no way they would be able to dodge all of them. Dropping the bottle to the ground, Hermione lifted her hands and created another barrier to surround them. The missiles hit it, her nose dripping blood as she fueled more magic into it to make it stronger. The last one broke the shield, Hermione flying back from the impact and hitting a boulder. She struggled to open her eyes, but everything was fuzzy, and darkness was approaching fast.

Cor cursed as Noctis and Prompto took off after the closest Magitek Armor. "Ignis, tend to Hermione. Gladio, get to his highness." Cor let his anger fuel his strikes, taking care of a majority of the Magitek with well-placed hits. Gladio, Noctis, and Prompto had taken care of the others; their teamwork evident in how fast and clean they'd taken them down.

Cor marched back to Ignis. "What's her status?"

Ignis stood from where he had been wiping Hermione's face with a wet cloth. "I have administered a restorative and a curative. I believe she will wake at any time."

"Good. For now, we'll have to carry her."

* * *

Hermione's eyes opened to a hard chest, recognizing it as Gladio's. She blushed as she realized one of her hands had been resting on the bare flesh for Merlin knew how long. She looked up to find him staring down at her, amusement in his amber iris'. She brought her hand to her chest, clearing her throat. "Sorry."

His eyes were laughing at her, his lips tugging up into a half grin. "No worries." He stopped walking, causing everyone else to stop with him. "Are you okay to stand on your own?"

She nodded, feeling energized and none the worse for wear. He set her down on the ground, making sure her legs were steady before backing away. She looked at Cor. "How long have I been out?"

"Not long." Cor studied her. "Good job on the shields, though you might want to work on not draining yourself so quickly."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "There's just no pleasing you, is there?"

Cor ignored that, turning to Noctis and handing him a key. "Here's where we go our separate ways. That key unlocks the doors to the other tombs. Seek them out and lay claim to the power they hold. You'll need it."

Noctis' voice was a little uncertain as he pocketed the key. "And what will you do?"

"Keep an eye on the Nif's, find out what they're up to. You should focus on your own task." He turned to Hermione. "A word."

He led her a couple of feet away, speaking low so that prying ears couldn't hear their conversation. "Are you sure you're alright? If this is too much for you, I'll bring you with me."

Hermione fought to keep the grin off her face. She was sure Cor wouldn't appreciate her laughing at him. "Is that worry I sense? I thought you couldn't wait to be rid of me."

Cor frowned. "I work better alone. Yet, I'm hesitant to leave you with them knowing the danger's they'll face and how unprepared you are."

Hermione huffed, "Thanks a lot. I did just fine earlier."

Cor's voice was dry. "You exhausted yourself and Gladio had to carry you."

There was that. "True, but I ended up being fine. You'll move faster without me, and…" She hesitated, the real reason for wanting to join Noctis and his party suddenly coming to her. "I want to help him, the prince. Two magic users are better than one, especially if what he says is true and he can't even use elemental magic the way I can. Besides, I have other abilities that might prove more useful to them than you."

Cor studied her for a moment before nodding. Bidding farewell to the others, he walked back the way they came, soon disappearing as he turned a corner.

Hermione walked back the boys, biting her lip nervously as she hadn't even made sure it was alright to stay with them before making her decision. "I'll be joining you instead of Cor. I hope that's alright."

She needn't have worried. Prompto was like a puppy with his excitement in her joining their group, while Noctis gave an indifferent shrug but with a grin on his face. Ignis nodded in acceptance, immediately leading their group further into the cave Hermione hadn't realized they were in. She didn't see Gladio's reaction, but she felt his hand at the small of her back. Memories of how she'd woken made her cheeks redden and the large hand seem hot even though she was wearing a jacket and a shirt.

She didn't move away, not wanting to insult him and not unused to men doing this. Harry had picked it up when she'd been dating Draco, continuing the practice with her and Ginny long after they'd broken up. It was interesting to her that she already felt comfortable with her group. Since making friends in her early childhood had been difficult, she could never escape the ill ease she felt around strangers. And they were strangers. But her magic was calm, and her mind wasn't constantly analyzing everything to make sure she didn't say the wrong thing or make a mistake.

It was nice.


	6. Chapter 6

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* * *

 **Chapter 6**

By the time the never-ending band of Goblins attacked for the umpteenth time, Hermione had found her place with the group

She hadn't known they were Goblins at first. The Goblins she was used to were surly creatures who were smart, devious, and barely tolerated the presence of others not their kind. These goblins were demonic, mischievous, troublemakers who had tried to steal Hermione's daggers every time they attacked and were fond of releasing weird gasses into the air. She'd discreetly placed Bubble-Head charms on them all to avoid the effects, the upgraded version created by the Auror's ensuring the magic would be invisible.

She'd noticed right away that Gladio and Ignis took turns making sure both her and Noctis were as protected as they could be. It took their attention away from the fighting when they'd have to make sure they were near their charges. Hermione didn't demand they leave her be, simply solved the issue by sticking close to Noctis. She used her barrier and certain wandless spells to keep enemies off him while using her elemental magic to strike from a distance. Her stomach was in knots though, because Noctis was fond of apparating and Hermione had taken to following him with her own jumps to keep up with him. She'd never been more afraid of splinching herself than she was now.

She had noticed with Nyx and now with Noctis that their version of apparating was different. They threw their weapons to where they were going to be, making Hermione wonder if the power was tied to the various weapons they were able to summon. She was curious to see if she could do the same, she didn't see how she wouldn't be able to, but that was something best left tested when they weren't fighting for their lives. Either way, her determination to stick close to Noctis had given the two men a reprieve and it fell to Gladio to watch them both.

They came to a stop from their explorations as Noctis found another energy container, this one marked with a fire symbol. Like Hermione had done during Cor's attack, Noctis sucked some of the heat with his hand. He didn't touch it, but she could physically see the fire leave the cylinder and flow into him. If any of the others could see the same, they didn't comment on it, choosing to catch their breath after all the walking instead. Poor Prompto was leaning against a rock wall, his head thrown back in exhaustion. Hermione was feeling much the same. She wasn't much of an athletic person before coming here. The only reason her feet weren't killing her was thanks to the cushioning charm she'd placed of the soles of her boots.

Noctis pulled his hand back, turning to Hermione. "You want the rest? You've been using a lot of magic. I don't think I've even seen you do more than swing those Kukri's and warp with them."

Warp? "You don't mind? I can go without if you need it."

Noctis shrugged, already walking to Prompto. "It's yours."

Hermione put her hand on the tank, closing her eyes as hot energy coursed through her. She could feel the exhaustion from magic use leaving her, leaving behind the aches that came with being out of shape. She opened her eyes when someone cleared their throat. Ignis was looking down at her. He said, "His Highness is right. The Kukri's aren't your first choice of weapon."

She shook her head. "No, magic is what I was trained to use." That was technically not a lie. "I told Cor I was a novice in Archery before the magic, but I'm sure anything that I learned is gone now."

Ignis took out a little black book, making a note before putting it away. "You never know. Gladio will want to train with you, find the weapon that suits you best. You cannot continue to rely on magic alone."

Hermione rolled her eyes at the familiar conversation. "Yes, Cor."

Ignis frowned. "I can see the Marshall has discussed this with you already."

She thought Cor was the Immortal? "Multiple times in fact."

Ignis nodded once. "Then I'll leave it at that. We should keep going. The sooner we find the royal tomb, the sooner we'll be away from the Goblins."

Not long after the group set out again, they were attacked by medium-sized spiders. Hermione hated spiders, the Acromantulas in the Forbidden Forrest establishing the fear in the first place. She immediately set fire to any that came near here, forgetting to stick close to Noctis as he decided to apparate to the scary buggers.

Something touched her back, and Hermione screamed as she jumped and turned around, flame ready in her hand. Gladio held up his hands in surrender. "That's the last of them. Are you alright?"

Hermione clenched her hand, willing the fire to return to her. "I hate spiders."

Gladio winced, knowing he was going to be the bearer of bad news. "Have you ever seen an Arachne?"

Her eyes narrowed. "No, what is that?"

Gladio opened his mouth, but then his eyes widened and he was throwing her behind him while summoning his shield. Hermione looked up in horror as a giant humanoid spider tried to pin him to the ground, little balls of electricity arching off her form. Hermione was sure it was a she. Its upper body was that of a female, but the bottom half was pure spider. It jumped onto the ceiling, moving around as they scrambled to hit her before she could attack them again.

"Everyone, take cover!" Noctis shouted.

Hermione saw him pull out a flaming sphere, throwing it just as the spider jumped down. Merlin, they were both too close. She knew he wouldn't be harmed by his own element, maybe, but the rest of them wouldn't be so lucky. She looked at whoever was closest to her, lunging at Prompto and throwing up her barrier as soon as the firebomb exploded.

The shimmering shield held, screams and curses coming from around the room. Prompto looked at her wide-eyed. "Thanks! That's the first time I've avoided being in the crossfire of one of his flasks."

She shot him a look of disbelief. "Are you telling me Noctis does this a lot?"

Prompto scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Pretty much. We're fine though. We have the stuff to cure us. There's no lasting damage."

Hermione turned, intent on giving the raven-haired man a piece of her mind, but the skittering of multiple insect legs made her stay where she was. Smoke obscured their vision, giving the little devils the advantage as no one could see anything. The smoke was starting to dissipate, but much too slowly for her liking. She jumped back against Prompto when a hairy leg swiped at her, the blonde screaming in fright and shooting in every direction.

There was a pained grunt from Ignis, the man sounding closer than where he'd been positioned before. "Prompto, watch where you're shooting!"

Prompto immediately stopped, Ignis' form visible now that the smoke was clearing up. He winced as he saw the torn arm sleeve where the bullet had grazed Ignis. "Sorry, Iggy."

The spiders suddenly dropped to the ground like puppets whose strings had been cut. They disappeared in puffs of black smoke. Hermione could make out a more substantial black area among the gray. It sparked, the electricity blending in with the black to create an oddly beautiful picture before disappearing quickly. Once everything was clear, Hermione saw Gladio wiping spider ichor from his sword. Noctis was standing behind him, holding a couple of vials in his hand. Gladio was downing them by the time Ignis, Hermione, and Prompto walked to them.

Hermione hit Noctis upside the head.

The men looked at her, startled. Noctis rubbed the back of his head, glaring at her. "What was that for?"

Hermione put her hands on her hips, her face disapproving. "Who taught you it was a good idea to throw bombs in closed places where your allies can get caught in the crossfire?"

He hunched his shoulders. "I told everyone to get to cover. Besides, the damage doesn't last. We have stuff."

Hermione pursed her lips. "And when we run out of 'stuff'?"

Noctis shrugged, looking at the guys for help. Ignis cleared his throat. "Perhaps we can table this conversation for another time. We do not know what else is in here."

Hermione nodded her acceptance, turning and walking to the open doors that had been closed to them before. The tomb was just past the doors, the intricately carved entrance the only clue that one of Lucis' Kings rested there. Noctis inserted his key, the doors opening to allow them access. Hermione stayed behind as the others walked through, her eyes darting over to a lower opening just before the tomb doors.

There was something there, a faint hum that felt familiar. Curious, Hermione walked to the opening, dropping to her knees to crawl through to the other side. It opened up into a cavern, faintly glowing circle at the end. Hermione walked up to it, noticing quickly that it was made of durable metal. The circle was part of a massive door, a small keyhole under it. The entryway was clear of dirt and insects, the runes inscribed like a halo as they glowed a whitish blue.

Hermione touched the first rune, tracing it with her finger. She narrowed her eyes as she took a good look at it, and the next until she'd completed the sentence. _The Menace slumbers in Keycatrich_. She knew these runes, had studied them. These were from her world. Her eyes widened in excitement as she concentrated, sending out her magic to get a sense of what she was working with. She grinned as something pushed back, the familiar feeling of witch leaving no doubt that her type of magic had helped create this. "It's a seal," She said in wonder.

A large hand placed itself on her shoulder, Hermione jumping before realizing who it was. She cleared her throat, trying to memorize every detail of the seal before her. "It's not nice to sneak up on people, Gladio."

"It's not nice to make large men come after you through tiny crawl spaces," Gladio retorted. He moved his hand to her lower back, coming to stand next to her and peer at what she was looking at. "Do you know what this is?"

Hermione bit her lip. "I have an idea, but without the key, we won't be able to get in." These runes weren't used much anymore, their primary focus being the entrapment of dark magic that could not be contained without it. It lent credibility that others like her had traveled to this world for the feel of magic was unmistakable.

"Do you think Noctis' key is the right one?"

Hermione shook her head. "No, the key will be particular. It will probably be carved with similar runes, made by the same person who created the door in the first place." She shut her mouth before she mentioned that the keys magic would feel the same as well.

Gladio looked down at her. "How do you know so much about this anyway?"

She shrugged, grinning at her discovery and the possibilities it could mean for finding answers. "One of my specialties is runes. They're practical uses, and historical significance are simply fascinating. Plus, the magic and willpower used to create these specifically say a lot about the inscriber…" Hermione trailed off as Gladio wrapped his arm more firmly around her, bringing her closer to his side. He was staring down at her, eyes filled with something she couldn't name.

"You know," Gladio said as he rubbed a thumb into her side, causing her to relax against him. "It's cute the way you get excited and start talking about things you know about. I never gave much thought to being brainy, but it works for you."

Hermione blushed, licking her lips as his eyes traveled to them. She placed a hand on his bare chest when he brought her closer. They didn't move as they stared at each other, each wondering if they should step that last bit closer.

"Gladio, did you find her?"

Hermione blinked, the trance she'd gone into that filled her mind with nothing but the muscled man before her washing away. Ignis hadn't come through the opening to the cavern, but Hermione could see his boots from where he was standing just before it. Gladio didn't let her go, choosing to look her over, studying her face before answering. "Yea, Iggy. She was checking something out. We're on our way."

Gladio stepped back, leading her to the others. His hand was placed on her lower back again, this time with his thumb rubbing small circles onto it when they stopped. Hermione couldn't' keep the blush off her face, Ignis the only one noticing but didn't comment save for a raised brow.

* * *

They set up camp just off the hunter outpost. Cor had called and informed them that they'd need to get rid of the blockade before being able to go any further. He wanted them to stay put while he and Monica, someone Hermione had met earlier, mapped out a plan. The boys had a few errands to run, but they would do them in the morning. It was getting dark, and nobody wanted to fight any daemons after being ambushed in the caves all day.

Hermione had been berating herself since leaving the cave. That moment with Gladio should never have happened. Yes, he was good looking and he seemed nice, but she wasn't from this world. She was still very much determined to get back. It wouldn't be a good idea to get involved with anyone here. Besides, she figured she knew what was happening. She was a female traveling with four males for an extended period. He was essentially trying to claim 'dibs' before anyone else got the idea to try something with her.

The thought upset her more than she cared to admit, but she pushed the hurt feelings away. She had just met them for Merlin's sake. They had nothing tying themselves to her. She had been thrust upon them by someone they respected. Of course, they wouldn't have said no. From the many jests and teasing that circled the four, Hermione had learned that Gladio was somewhat of a ladies man. It made sense in a way. He was physically fit, attractive, and could be charming. The way he had protected her lent to his appeal. The constant feel of his hand at her back…

And she needed to stop thinking about him before she decided his good qualities outweighed her points for not getting involved should he make a move.

As Gladio was setting up their sleeping quarters, Hermione turned to the only other man working on something. Ignis had set up a small table, kitchenware and ingredients lined up like little soldiers. "Is there anything I can help with?" she asked.

Ignis looked her over, noticing she had washed up recently. "How good are you with the culinary arts?"

Hermione thought about helping Molly prepare different meals and her own experiences in the kitchen. "I can follow a recipe just fine, or I can prep the food." She grinned at him. "Use me however you like."

Ignis nodded, a small grin on his face. "Very well. Chop up the vegetables and then prepare the tea while I get the meat cooked. Is there any food you won't eat?"

Hermione shook her head. "I haven't tried anything I haven't liked, yet. Still, thank you. I know everyone is tired from today's activities, so I appreciate you taking the time to dish this up."

Ignis turned back to the meat, a small tinge of red on his cheeks. "As Adviser to his Highness, I was tasked from a young age to always take care of him. I am happy to provide my talents where they are needed during our journey."

Hermione laughed, startling Ignis as he concentrated on his task. "That's a nice way of saying you're the camp mother by default. Don't think I didn't notice you telling Noctis you'd fix his shirt when you got the chance, and that you've already sewn the tear on your sleeve from earlier." She turned to start on her chopping. "I get it. I was in much the same position once with my best friends. I admit, I did a poor job of it but they like to boast how they wouldn't have survived without me."

Ignis shot her a glance. "I can't imagine any parent letting their children leave the city protection without basic survival skills."

She frowned. "They didn't have a choice." She shook off the memories of less than pleasant times and shrugged. "Anyways, what's on the agenda for tomorrow?"

Ignis took her change in topic in stride, even as he filed the information away. "While we wait for Cor to contact us, there are a few things we need to do. We've taken on odd jobs, hunting requests, and the like to earn the Gil needed to fund our trip. We'll be turning in a few, and then we need to speak to Cid about a couple of the weapons we found today that maybe be viable for an upgrade. Prompto found your bow."

Hermione finished chopping the vegetables, moving to the kettle to start tea preparations. "Oh? Please don't tell me you're talking about that sad thing from the caves. I already told you I'd be terrible, but I don't think the crossbow will work for anyone."

Ignis smirked. "Cid will be able to fix it with the right parts. I have some ideas for some modifications that might benefit you. That reminds me." He pulled a cell phone out of his pants pocket. "Cor wished for you to have one. This is a spare I keep on hand should one of our own break. Our numbers, Cor's, and surviving members of the Crownsguard are already programmed in. Cor will update everyone else on your newly acquired number."

Hermione took the phone gingerly, wondering if her magic would cause the phone to fry itself before she could figure out how to use it. Maybe one the charms Arthur used on his muggle devices at the Burrow would be in order. "Thank you. I didn't think about what I would do for communication."

"Cor thought much the same."

Dinner turned out to be really good. Whether Hermione was starving or Ignis' culinary skills were something to boast about; she didn't know. She figured it was the latter. It wasn't until Noctis and Prompto went to bed that Hermione realized there was only one tent. She didn't think they had the type of tents she was used to.

She decided to broach the subject with the guys. "Am I meant to sleep outside? I don't mind, but I would like to know before I got to bed."

Ignis' brow furrowed. "I apologize, Hermione. Getting another tent and sleeping bag is one of my priorities when we head back to Hammerhead. Gladio has volunteered to let you use his bag for the night while he sleeps out here."

Hermione's eyes widened as she looked at the man she'd been subtly avoiding the entire night. "You don't have to do that. Honestly, it's my fault for coming unprepared. You know what? I was unconscious for a while before I met up with you. Blame Cor."

Gladio chuckled, "Don't worry about it. We noticed you didn't have more than the clothes on your back when you met us. We've already separated some Gil to get you set up."

Hermione sighed, "You didn't have to, thank you. I promise I'll pay you back when I get the chance. I was going to text Cor about getting a couple of essentials." She ran a hand through her hair, her fingers getting caught in the big tangle that had grown into a proper knot throughout the day. "Like a decent hairbrush."

"I have a comb if you would like," Ignis offered.

"Not if you want it to survive," Hermione declined.

Gladio walked to the tent, rummaged through his pack before coming back over. He held up a brush. "This should work." He sat on the ground by the fire, patting the space in front of him. "Come here."

Ignis stood from his place. "I'm going to head to bed. Remember we have an early start tomorrow. Don't stay up too late."

Hermione watched him walk away before turning her attention back to Gladio. "I don't need assistance."

"Come on," Gladio urged her. "I used to do this for my mother all the time, and my sister when she had longer hair. I'm practically an expert in taking out knots."

Seeing he wasn't going to relent, Hermione sighed and joined him on the ground. The fire and his natural body heat made it impossible for her to be cold. He undid the band keeping her hair in it's knotted bun, and parted the first section he could to start working on it. He worked in silence, focusing on the task in front of him. Hermione relaxed as she always did when her hair was being brushed. It was a nightly routine she stuck with to keep the curls manageable. It may not be the bushy mess from her adolescence, but it could become quite the monster when not taken care of.

When he had untangled most of her hair, he murmured, "So Cor told me and Ignis you were at the Citadel when the invasion happened."

Hermione, who had been falling asleep due to his ministrations, jerked awake. She noticed she was closer to him, almost entirely on his lap. When had that happened? "Um, yes, I was."

He started to braid her hair. "You were with my father then?"

She waited until he'd finished before answering. "Yes, I was with Clarus."

Gladio ran his hands down her bare arms, her jacket having been discarded once dinner was ready. "How did he die?"

Hermione felt tears well up in her eyes, shaking her head to rid herself of the image of Clarus pinned to the wall with his own sword. "You don't want to know."

Gladio gripped her arms a little tighter. "Yes, I do."

Hermione turned in his arms, not caring that she was now entirely in his lap. She braced her hands on his chest, pleading with her eyes to let it go. "He died protecting the King. Why do you need to know how?"

He frowned as she the tears she held at bay threatened to spill over. "That bad, huh?"

Hermione's shoulders slumped, her head falling to his chest. He could feel his torso getting wet with her tears though she cried silently. He sighed for being an insensitive ass, realizing she must have had a closer relationship with his dad than he thought. Gladio held her close, massaging her scalp with his free hand. She kept whispering, "I'm sorry." Over and over she repeated the phrase until she fell asleep.

Gladio looked up at the clear skies, the stars still something he marveled at when he got the chance. "Don't be sorry. My dad was only protecting the royal family, as was his duty as Shield."


	7. Chapter 7

**Thank you claire nunnaly, Darkmankryl, Dahik, morgan1yam, MadJeager 00, jwatson16202, walter krewer, Asta-the-GS, StarkUnreality-pn, StorytellerD132, BarakTheSlayer, OtakuAnimeLover21, Xelia Lagan, Nameless Angel 00, Alewar, MadLAB, and Honor for following/favoring this story!  
**

 **Reviews: I'm glad everyone is enjoying this story! Your reviews keep my muse going! I'm sorry I wasn't able to post last week. It was a busy week, and I was hardly able to get on my computer. I have a once a week thing for updating, because writing is only a hobby and sometimes it can be hard to indulge that hobby when life keeps you busy. It also keeps me ahead of the game in the event I can't sit down and write. I'm very determined to finish this story, and can only be grateful my muse agrees right now.**

 **I hope you enjoy this chapter! Let me know what you think in the reviews!**

* * *

 **Chapter 7**

When Hermione had thought to see if she could apparate the same way Noctis could, she hadn't thought she would get the opportunity to try it out the very next day.

It had started with the distinct sound of a camera clicking that had led to the most embarrassing five minutes of Hermione's life. She hadn't meant to fall asleep on Gladio. It had just happened. He _could_ have put her in the tent without disturbing her, the muscle types always could, but he'd decided to let her sleep on him and fall asleep with her. The friendly teasing of Noctis and Prompto had flustered her to the point she was sure her face would never go back to normal, but Gladio had been unaffected. He'd merely gotten up calmly compared to her mad scramble, and pressed a kiss to the crown of her head before fixing them both plates from the food Ignis had prepared.

As if sleeping together hadn't been bad enough. That affectionate gesture had sealed whatever everyone had been thinking. She had seen it in their eyes.

It was safe to say that Hermione had decided a quick retreat was the best thing. Hermione had zeroed in on Noctis, commented on how he could seamlessly apparate from one place to the next so much without losing his stomach, and the boy had quickly offered to show her some of his tricks. She'd dragged him away, aware of someone else getting up and following them from a small distance away. She had felt his gaze on her back but did nothing to acknowledge his presence. Noctis had been ignoring him too, so she was sure Gladio was acting his role as Shield.

They were some ways away from camp, the pair deciding to stop at a secluded area with plenty of boulders. Noctis had her summon the dagger, his sword already in hand. "Okay, so warping is all about concentration. My father always told me I needed to keep a clear head when warping from one place to another. It's teleportation, so you are literally moving your body from one place to another. I remember when I first started, not focusing got me burned plenty of times."

That didn't sound too terrible. It was better than splinching. "So what keeps your from vomiting?"

Noctis rubbed the back of his neck, cheeks turning red. "Well, I was born with the magic, so I don't have that problem. I did at first, but it went away the more I used it. Some of the Kingsglaive had the issue, because they could never get used to it. You were born with magic too, right?" She nodded. "Then the more you use it, the more comfortable your body will get." He grinned. "No more getting nauseous for you."

"That's not much of a trick," Hermione teased him.

Noctis shrugged. "I was actually hoping you'd help me out. As you can see, I can't use magic without it being a bomb. You're a natural with it, and you're not even Kingsglaive! Maybe you can figure out why I can't tap into the magic like that."

Hermione pursed her lips, not knowing where she would even begin. "I'm not sure how I would be able to help."

Noctis threw his hands in the air, frustration evident on his face. "C'mon! You have a strong connection to the Astral's. I know you said you aren't favored, but there is no other way you can have their magic otherwise. You have to know _something_."

Gladio quickly walked up to them from where he'd been watching. "Hey, it's alright Noct." He threw a quick wink at Hermione. "Magic isn't everything."

Noctis let out a disgusted grunt, sitting on a nearby boulder, his shoulders slumped in dejection.

She held up her hand when Gladio moved to sit next to Noctis, Hermione doing so instead. "From what I've seen so far, your fighting skills are excellent. Why do you want to learn to use magic when you're doing just fine without it?"

Noctis sighed. "I need to get stronger. I don't know if you were told, but there's a prophecy-"

"Forget the stupid prophecy," Hermione bit out. "Why do _you_ want to learn?"

Noctis looked away from her, his jaw tensing for a few moments before relaxing again. He turned back, his eyes far too serious as they bore into hers. "My father entrusted this role to me that I know I'm not prepared for. Just a few days ago, I was on my way to get married, and now everything is gone. Niflheim _can't_ get away with this. I owe it to my father, to the people that died fighting them, to the citizens of Lucis. I need to get stronger any way I can, and that means using every bit of my birthright that I can access."

Gladio sucked in a breath, his eyes darting between the two. Hermione watched Noctis, her eyes looking for any sign that his words had been false. She knew they weren't, but it was nice to know her instincts had been right about him. She placed on hand on his shoulder, giving it a small squeeze. "I'll do everything in my power to help you access it. I don't know where to start yet, but I'll try."

Noctis' face lit up, throwing his body at Hermione and nearly knocking them both over with the force of his hug. She clung to him, breath catching as he seemed determined to squeeze her to death. Merlin, she couldn't abandon him. She'd seen a lot in his eyes when he'd earnestly spoke to her. There was determination, resolve, a little anger, but there had also been fear, desperation, and a whole myriad of emotions that pierced Hermione's heart. She _could_ help him, and she already knew she wouldn't go home until he had reclaimed his kingdom and freed his people.

* * *

The Regalia, as the boy's had called it, was a classic that shouldn't be making the drives her four companions had apparently been pushing it through. It was a beautiful car, majestic looking with its purple and black paint job. According to Ignis, the vehicle was one of a kind, having faithfully served King Regis and his friends a long time ago. Hermione had taken a look at the scratches and small dings with a shake of her head. Not only was their transportation distinctive, but they clearly took advantage of the mechanic that gave it a tune up whenever they stopped by.

Still, it was a nice car. The air conditioning was in great condition, the radio had excellent speakers, and the leather seats were extremely comfortable. Noctis had fallen asleep within five minutes of the drive, curling up in his seat like a cat. Hermione was sitting in between him and Gladio, having been offered the position that Prompto usually took but had declined when she'd noticed the boy never actually sat still. As much as she wanted to keep her distance from the man who currently had his arm stretched on the back of her seat while he read, Hermione didn't want to be responsible for any agitation that occurred because the blond annoyed his two friends.

As it was, the drive was not long, and pretty soon they were pulling up into a service area that was named Hammerhead. She remembered the name from Cor but didn't know if he had actually stopped by while she'd been unconscious. Thinking of Cor, Hermione checked her phone to see if he replied to her text. He hadn't.

She had messaged Cor in the hopes that he would know of any libraries or bookstores that held information on the magic of this world. Be they myth or historical, Hermione didn't care. She needed a place to start. She planned on examining the tome Luna had given her again once she could ensure her privacy. Rubbing the locket that was disillusioned under her shirt, Hermione hoped Cor could prove useful in helping her with this.

Noctis woke as soon as the car was parked, rubbing his eyes as he looked around. "I'm starving. Who wants to grab a bite?"

Hermione rolled her eyes when Prompto immediately agreed. "Breakfast was not that long ago."

Noctis shrugged, sending her a quick grin. "What can I say, Mione? We're growing boys."

They ran towards the diner, not noticing the pained look on Hermione's face. Gladio and Ignis shared a look as her eyes glazed over, neither knowing what prompted such a response from her.

Mione… The last person to call her that had been Harry when she'd forgotten to meet him for lunch, and he'd forced food on her after barging through her office door. _"You need to eat Mione."_ Harry had scolded. That had been the day before Luna's final visit that ended with her in another world. She'd been so annoyed with him, snapping and giving him attitude for ruining her workflow. After years of being friends, he'd simply grinned and sat down with his own lunch. Hermione couldn't believe her last conversation with him had been half insulting his intelligence and half complaining about her boss. Merlin, her last conversation with Ron had been an argument. He'd avoided her all week because she'd still been annoyed with him.

She was a terrible friend.

Her breath hitched, startling Ignis and Gladio. Ignis grimaced, placing a firm hand on her shoulder to bring her out of wherever she was for she was not with them, of that he was sure. "Hermione, are you alright?"

Hermione jumped, her head whipping around to stare at the guys. Her eyes were wide, having forgotten where she was for a moment. "What?"

Ignis shared another look with Gladio, his friend crossing his arms across his chest. "Something upset you."

Hermione shook her head. "It's nothing."

Gladio scoffed, "You're a terrible liar."

Hermione glared at him, willing him to drop it. "It's nothing." She was very close to gritting her teeth, something she hadn't done since her 6th year at Hogwarts.

"Alright," Ignis said. He shook his head slightly at Gladio when the man opened his mouth to protest. He knew the look on her face. It was the same Noctis made when he shut down, the same Regis sometimes held when a decision he made would not be up for debate. After years of dealing with the stubbornness of the royal family, Ignis knew when to table a discussion and save it for later. "There's shopping to be done. I'll need you to come with me so that you can choose your things. Gladio, you should stick with Noctis and Prompto. Make sure they don't wander off. We need to have a conversation with Cid about possibly upgrading some of Prompto's weapons and the bow for Hermione. After that, we'll see if Cor is ready for us. I'm expecting a call before sundown."

Hermione made no protest, grateful that Ignis hadn't decided to question her further. In truth, she never had been a good liar. She had a variety of excuses ready for any given situation, but additional questioning would have her carefully crafted lies crumbling before she could blink. She was better off denying any inquiries or just staying silent.

Unfortunately, the little store attached to this service station had little in the way of clothes that Hermione felt comfortable wearing. After perusing the available casual wear, Hermione shook her head at Ignis. She was not a daisy duke, midriff top type of girl. He simply nodded, purchasing a tent and sleeping bag while informing her she might have better luck when they made their way to Lestallum. When that would be wasn't discussed, but Hermione had a feeling she'd be stuck with these clothes for a while. Her old clothes were still in Cor's bags. She hoped he hadn't thrown them out. She could mend them in the privacy of her tent.

Their next stop was Cid and Cindy. Cindy was… interesting. She was very friendly, sunny smiles and upbeat attitude reminding Hermione of Prompto. Cindy was not afraid to wear the type of clothes Hermione had rejected. Hermione figured if she had long legs and a generous chest, she wouldn't either.

Cid was a grumpy old man that reminded her of Aberforth Dumbledore. He had taken the abused and broken weapons from Ignis, grumbling about specific parts and idiot boys. Hermione didn't think he would be able to get the bow working at all, but something told her not to say that within his hearing ability. He'd startled Hermione by grabbing her chin and tilting her face back and forth as he studied her. This went on for a few minutes before he'd let go, grumbling some more under his breath and retreating into the garage. She'd shot a questioning look at Ignis, who had watched them with wary eyes while talking with Cindy, but had only gotten a shrug in return.

Hermione and Ignis were entering the diner to meet up with the rest of the group and possibly get something to eat when her phone rang. She waved Ignis away, stepping back out to answer. "It's about time you got back to me."

Cor's voice was not amused. "Why do you need to read up on magic?"

"At Noctis' request actually," Hermione explained. "He wants me to help him unlock more access to his magic, but I don't know how. I'm hoping research will lead me to the answer."

"Once we take down this base, he should concentrate on acquiring the other royal arms."

Hermione had thought much the same, but she wasn't going to tell him that. "He wants to be as strong as possible, and having easier access to his magic will do that. Think of it as building a different branch of his arsenal."

Cor was silent for a moment before sighing, "Fine. I only know of two places that might have the information you need. Both are inaccessible at the moment, but I can get you into one when we have more time."

Finally, they were getting somewhere. "What are these places?"

"The Citadel and the Oracle's home in Tenebrae. I didn't spend a lot of time in the Citadel's library, so I can't say for sure what we'll find there. I think the Oracle's home will be more viable, but there is no way we'll infiltrate without being discovered."

What choice did they have if the Citadel's library proved to have no information? "We'll try the Citadel then. Also, do you happen to have my old clothes?"

"I was going to throw them out. They're ruined."

"No," Hermione yelled. "I can fix them. I'll retrieve them when I see you."

"Right. I need you guys to head to the location I'm about to give you. There's a backdoor entrance to this base. We do this right; we won't have any problems taking out these Nif's."

"Hold on," Hermione ordered as she walked back inside. She walked to the table the guys were sitting at, noticing Ignis was able to get some food. She put her hand over the speaker. "I need the map."

Ignis handed it over, and Hermione moved to another booth so that she could spread it out. She felt Gladio move up behind her, his hand resting on her back as he leaned over to get a look at what she was doing. She concentrated on Cor's instructions, finding the area he was talking about easily enough. It helped that the map was detailed and that Cor was clear on where they needed to go.

She straightened once she'd ended the call, looking up at Gladio. "Cor's ready for us."

Gladio nodded, looking at the map. "You should eat before we leave."

Hermione shook her head. "I'll be fine. Cor will get impatient if we don't head out now."

He gave her a look but didn't push as Hermione informed the group of their plans.

* * *

When Monica informed them that they would create a distraction while Hermione and Cor took out the base from the inside, she was the first to object. Gladio was a close second and Noctis was the last, arguing that they should all stick together. Unfortunately, Cor walked to them after hearing their noise and stared them all down until Hermione reluctantly followed him away from the others. There were grumbles, but soon the boys followed Monica.

Hermione frowned up at him. "Is there a reason you and I are doing this by ourselves?"

"Correction," Cor said. " _You_ will be doing most of the heavy lifting this time around. Gladio informed me your warping skills needed work. I didn't think you would be affected by nausea, because you inherited the magic. I remember Regis not being a fan of warping either until he'd used it more often."

Were they reporting to him? Is that what Gladio and Ignis were doing when they asked her questions, or when Gladio stuck close to her? "You mean to tell me you won't be helping at all?"

"Oh, I'll be helping," Cor assured her. "I'll just be doing it from the ground. From what I've observed, there are plenty of targets higher up. That will be all you."

"Fantastic," she mumbled.

They turned a corner, Hermione spying a rifleman on a ledge. She was sure there were more somewhere. Cor clapped her on the back. "When I get up there I expect the area to be clear."

This was why Hermione avoided lying. If she had explained to Cor from the beginning that this type of magic was new to her, he wouldn't have felt the need to test her the way he was. She could just apparate, but if she didn't at least throw the knife, she knew he would suspect how she did it and then there would be yelling… possible wand breaking…

Well, there was no time like the present to try something new.

It really was like apparating if one thought it through. She was just focusing on an object, and not a predetermined destination.

Summoning her dagger, Hermione took a deep breath and threw it at the first Niflheim soldier. She felt the magic embrace her, and before she knew it, she was crouched over said soldier with her dagger in its chest. There was no nausea, no splinching, and there had been no squeezing tube sensation.

What there happened to be was more soldiers of the same type that she'd just taken down, each shooting at her. She threw up her barrier with one hand and threw the dagger with her other hand. Warping from target to target, Hermione started to understand why Noctis did this so much. It was efficient, quick, and something only he could do.

Cor came to a stop beside her once she took out the last rifleman. "They told me you needed practice."

Hermione shrugged. "I probably do."

They walked down a set of stairs, coming upon more troopers and a larger soldier. Cor said, "I'll take care of the big guy. Get the others."

Hermione warped to the first one, not giving the one next to her a chance to react as she stuck her second dagger into its chest while striking down her intended target. She conjured a ball of flame, hurling it at the group too close to each other. Cor finished off the larger one with a final strike of his sword.

They moved on, Cor opening a door and poking his head out. He brought it back quickly, a bullet hitting the wall where his head had been. "Snipers. Take them out."

"On it." Hermione warped to the one farthest on her right, keeping their attention on her while Cor fought the troopers below. Their bullets hit her shield harder than the other ones had. Throwing her weapon into the air, Hermione warped to it, quickly throwing it back down and following. She defeated the last one, looking below her and noticing Cor was facing off against three large soldiers with axes.

Sparking her hands with multiple balls of lighting, Hermione called out to him. "Move out of the way, Cor!"

He didn't hesitate, jumping away from his opponents and watching as Hermione unleashed her bombs. The troopers went down, limbs twitching from the force of her lightning. She warped to the ground, wincing as her dagger scratched against the concrete.

"I hope the others are doing alright," Hermione said.

Cor walked forward, stepping over the dead troopers. "Keep your mind focused on our task. You'll only compromise yourself by worrying about others."

Hermione rolled her eyes but didn't say a word. She followed him until he stopped just before another opening. She noticed more of the large soldiers positioned at different areas of the clearing. There were more snipers as well. Cor turned to her. "You don't happen to have any magic flasks, do you?"

"Sorry," Hermione apologized. "But if I can get rid of those snipers, I can try and make a big enough ball that it will effectively be a bomb."

Cor was engaging the ground troopers before Hermione could suggest they take out the snipers together. Grumbling at his impatient nature, she got started. She had to put up her barrier, the soldiers on her level realizing she was a more appealing target right away. She had no clue how to use these curved daggers for any complicated fighting, so she hacked and slashed at them until she switched tactics and warped to the other side. She was breathing heavily by the time she had gotten rid of them all, the constant warping starting to take its toll.

Cor was still fighting the troopers below, having to dodge and weave through their attacks. Dropping her dagger, Hermione held her hands out to the sky. She willed fire and lightning to merge, to create one large sphere as Cor kept them herded together. She could taste blood on her upper lip, knew she should have saved this experimentation for when she hadn't used up a lot of energy warping everywhere. Still, Hermione kept her mind focused.

Slowly, but gaining speed, a ball of lightning formed. Another of fire materialized right after it. She forced them together, their size expanding until there was a noticeable shadow above the troopers heads. Cor looked up, eyes widening at the sight of a firestorm compressed into a considerable orb floating above them. He jumped to the side just as Hermione let it drop. The dozen armored troopers didn't stand a chance. The force of the explosion knocked Cor back, painful electric shocks and small burns covering his body.

Hermione saw Cor fly back, his body colliding with a metal beam. Damn it, that was the second time she hurt this man with her magic! Picking up her dagger, Hermione threw it to the wall next to the metal pillar. She stumbled a little as she materialized, collapsing to her knees right next to him.

"No, no, no," Hermione chanted. He was burned and bleeding in multiple places, some electric and some from fire. She summoned her wand, waving it in the pattern to perform a diagnostic charm on him to see the extent of the damage. Several systems lit up red, showing Hermione the injuries her spell had caused. Her mind was drawing a blank, the witch who knew everything couldn't remember a single healing spell. Searching for one was going to take too much time. Remembering the potion Ignis had told her about, Hermione frantically dug through his pockets. Nothing, he had nothing. Why did he have nothing?

His breathing was slowing down, his chest movements barely noticeable. Blood trickled out of his mouth in a steady stream. Merlin, she'd killed him. He'd trusted her, and she'd murdered him. Sobbing, Hermione lay her head on his chest, a palm over his heart. "Please don't die, Cor. _Please_." She begged, pleaded with him, pleaded with the God's.

Bluish white light poured from her palm. Hermione's vision was blurred as she felt her magic rise, and surge through her hand over Cor's heart. She blinked rapidly, trying to clear her eyes and see what was going on. That was when she noticed her other hand that had been clutching Cor's side was glowing as well. Her eyes widened as blood stopped oozing from his various wounds, the burns slowly starting to disappear.

Practically climbing on top of him, Hermione directed more of her magic through her palms. Her hands shook, her breathing becoming harder as she concentrated. Her diagnostic charm was starting to fade, but Hermione could see the red disappearing rapidly. She bit her lip hard to keep her body going, the pain jerking her to attention.

Cor's eyes opened slowly, his dazed expression clearing to one of confusion when he saw her. Hermione collapsed on top of him in relief, the light fading away. He slowly sat up, holding her to him when she would have fallen backward. He took in the visible signs of a crying jag, the tears were still running down her face, and figured something had happened to him at some point. "What happened." His voice sounded weak, even to his own ears.

Hermione's face crumbled, burying her head in his chest as she wrapped her arms around him. "I'm so sorry! My spell hit you! There was so much damage, I'm sorry!"

He'd never been comfortable with crying. Her sobs made him feel like he should apologize for something. "Hey, I'm alright now." He shrugged. "Besides, it's my fault for not moving fast enough."

Her face was a mask of fury as she looked up, hitting his chest with every word she spoke. "You were dying, Cor! Dying! It is not your fault! Don't say that!"

Cor scowled, grabbing her hand to keep from hitting him again. "Well, obviously I'm still alive, if not a little weak. How did you heal me? Did you use a Phoenix Down?"

Hermione gave him a confused look. "A what?" She shook her head. "No, I don't know what happened. One minute, I was pleading with every deity I could think of not to let you die, and the next my hands were glowing, and you were healing." Her shoulders sank, her head flopping forward to connect with his chest again. "I'm so tired. I don't think I can fight anymore right now."

Cor sighed, pulling her closer so that she could rest against him. "That makes two of us. It's a good thing this was the last wave. The blockade is clear from this side."

The sound of an airship alerted them to more company. It stopped above them, the hatch opening to reveal a golden-haired man in armor. His eyes lit up at the sight of them. "Well, well, if it isn't Cor, The Immortal. So, you survived the Citadel. And who's this? Niflheim is very interested in you."

Cor growled, "Loqui."

The man jumped into a maroon mechanical suit. "You won't survive what I have in store for you. It's time your legend came to an end, and the girl to come with me."

* * *

Gladio brought down the rest of the Nif's, the damn bastards not standing a chance at the show of force his group and Monica had provided. There had been so many of them, Gladio wondered if there had been any left for Cor and Hermione to take out. He hoped not. Some of these Magitek troopers had been tough.

Thinking of Hermione, Gladio wondered how she was doing. Ignis had made the observation early on that the Princess was no longer used to combat. Oh, there had been some, they could tell. There was a look in her eyes that screamed battle-hardened, but her skills told them it had been a long time since those battles. She was improving, fast, but Gladio wondered what her life was like before she'd met up with them.

Ignis thought King Regis had planned to acknowledge her officially once the treaty with Niflheim was signed. He could see no other reason why she would have been there with his dad and the King otherwise. Gladio agreed, but something about the situation bothered him. Cor hadn't known about her. King Regis had never seemed the type of man to keep something as important as his daughter a secret. Technically, she was his firstborn. In all fairness, she should have been next in line and not Noctis. Was that why he hadn't confessed to her existence? Where had she been all this time? She'd been heartbroken at the death of his dad, so Gladio had tried searching his memories for trips his father had taken.

Of course, that wasn't the only reason why he thought of her. From the first time she'd fought next to him something had sparked in Gladio. Her determination and selflessness had been so attractive to him, even as he was internally cursing her lack of care for her own life. There was the way she made his life easier by sticking close to Noctis, and the time her eyes lit up in the cave when she'd been telling him about runes had made him want to kiss her so bad.

He would have if Ignis hadn't interrupted.

It helped that she was attracted to him too. He knew she was. She blushed every time she came into contact with his body, and he caught her ogling him when she thought he wasn't looking. She let him help with her hair, and sat close to him in the car. He could tell she was wary, but he figured he could push through that. He wasn't in a rush. He'd pretty much declared his intentions with her in a way that even Noctis understood.

There was a part of him that said maybe he _shouldn't_ get involved with her. She was technically a Princess, Noctis' sister. His job was to shield her, not date her. That voice sounded suspiciously like Iggy. And like he always did when Ignis tried to tell him he shouldn't do something, he ignored it.

Monica walked up to him, their group gathering together after making sure all the Magitek were gone. "I can't reach Cor."

Ignis raised a brow. "The Marshall is likely busy at the moment."

"I can't reach the-" Monica stopped abruptly, glancing at Noctis for a second before speaking again. "I can't reach Hermione, either."

Ignis looked at the closed gates of the blockade. "It stands to reason that if the Marshall is busy, so is she."

Monica gave him an unimpressed look. "We were the diversion so that they could take care of things on the inside. There shouldn't have been as much resistance. They should be here."

Gladio felt alarm go through him at Monica's tone. Hermione was supposed to be _safe_ with Cor. "Only one way to find out." He walked to the huge gate blocking the way through, staring at the control panel. "How are we supposed to open this?"

Monica sighed, getting in front of him to take a look at it. "Cor was supposed to open this from the inside. We'll have to hack it."

Monica jumped back as gunfire sounded, the control panel blown to shreds. The wall creaked open, nobody waiting for them. Monica, Ignis, and Gladio turned back to look at Noctis, who had taken Prompto's gun and shot it. "There, it's open. Let's go."

They walked into the empty clearing, seeing no sign of Hermione or Cor. There were no Niflheim soldiers either. Ignis pointed to an area above them. "There! It's an airship."

Suddenly, the area they were looking at was lit up with explosions. Noctis got ready to throw his weapon and warp, but Hermione appeared in front of them with Cor next to her. They were both clearly exhausted, not something Gladio would have ever said about The Immortal. Hermione looked ready to keel over, and Cor was having a hard time getting to his feet.

He heard Prompto whisper. "Dude, did she just warp with Cor?"

Then Noctis whispered back. "She is so teaching me that."

Gladio grabbed Hermione, holding her steady while Monica went for Cor. Ignis studied them. "What happened?"

Cor grimaced, clutching his side, looking a little green. "Talk later. Advanced Magitek Armor coming our way."

As he said that, a maroon Magitek Armor jumped from the area it was in. It landed a few feet in front of them. An annoying high pitched voice laughed, "Don't run away, Immortal! We were just getting started!"

Hermione groaned, pushing away from Gladio and managing to stand without falling. "I'll surrender and die right here if you just stop talking!"

The voice gasped, "You insolent bitch!"

Cor cast his eyes to the sky. "Now you've done it. Dodge!"

Gladio pulled her out of the way, everyone going in different directions as the Magitek Armor shot missiles. Hermione grabbed her Kukri and lifted it into the air. Before she could throw it, Gladio caught her arm and brought it back down. "You're exhausted. Sit back and let us handle this."

She made the Kukri disappear, hands sparking instead. "You're right. Confronting him head on is likely to get me killed with how much of a liability I am at the moment." She shot a concerned glance at Cor. "He's been badly injured. I healed him, but I know he's still weak."

Gladio had been stuck at the part of her saying she healed him, but her worried tone made him focus. "Don't worry. I'll keep an eye on him. Just stay here."

She nodded, giving him a grateful smile that made his heart clench. Running to join the fight, Gladio stuck to Cor as promised. The man didn't seem to mind, sending Monica to protect Hermione. They attacked together, bringing down one of the Armor's legs while Noctis and Ignis took down another. The man inside was screaming at them, but Gladio paid him no mind. All he knew was the battle in front of them until he was defeated.

Hermione walked up to them, a fretting Monica following behind her. She was trying to give Hermione a potion, but his girl was not having it. "Honestly, I just need to eat and sleep. As long as we don't fight anymore, I should be fine."

Another airship appeared, flying towards them fast. Prompto pouted. "You just had to say something."

To his surprise, a ladder descended from the opening hatch. Cor blew out a breath. "Perfect. Hermione, get behind me."

A female Niflheim officer jumped down, using her shiny lance to land next to the destroyed Armor. "I'm not here to fight, Immortal. Those aren't my orders." She pulled off her helmet, revealing a pretty face that looked like she hailed from Tenebrae. "You're looking rough, honey." She directed at Hermione. "You tell these guys to treat you better." She held out the lance. "See my new toy? You won't be destroying this one. Niflheim is still trying to figure out how you destroyed the last one."

Cor moved to stand in front of Hermione, Gladio pulling her against his chest. Cor growled, "Enough, Highwind."

Highwind laughed, "Spoilsport." She picked up the unconscious Niflheim officer, hefting him over her shoulder. "Give me a call if you get tired of these men, Princess. I can show you a better time."

Everyone stiffened, including Hermione. Gladio shot Ignis a concerned look. Now Niflheim knew who she was? That wasn't good. They watched as the airship flew away. Hermione's head fell back against his chest, eyes closed. "I can't believe she replaced the stupid thing already." She frowned. "I so can destroy it. I think I will the next time I see her."

Cor crossed his arms over his chest. "I don't like that she'd taken an interest in you."

Hermione opened her eyes, taking his grumpy tone as accusation. " _You're_ the one that let me fight her alone!"

"Yes, I should have just ignored the machine gun shooting at us," Cor said dryly. "I didn't tell you to destroy her weapon."

Hermione straightened, Gladio immediately missing the pressure of her body against his. "Was I supposed to let her push the bloody thing into my chest?"

Ignis stepped forward, holding up a hand to stop the Marshall's retort. From Cor's glower, Ignis was lucky to be alive. "You both are tired and injured. We should make camp before the adrenaline rush leaves you." Hermione opened her mouth, but Ignis' quick look shut her up. He turned to Monica. "You are welcome to come with us, but there will be no room in the car. Hermione will have to sit on someone's lap as it is."

Monica nodded. "I'll take Cor's bike, and follow you to your haven."

Gladio looked down at Hermione, concerned at the paleness of her face. "Want me to carry you?"

"I can walk," Hermione sniffed.

She did walk, slowly, but nobody commented. Just like nobody said anything to the Marshall who was walking with a limp. They reached the car, Cor taking the front. Gladio pulled Hermione onto his lap, who blushed but didn't comment. She simply sighed and let her head rest on his chest.

They drove in silence for five minutes before Prompto said, "So are we just going to ignore that the Niflheim chick called Mione a princess?"

Gladio wanted to smack him. Nobody had brought it up for a reason, but the blond wouldn't know that. Hermione opened her eyes from where she'd been lightly dozing. "What about it? It's obviously a nickname meant to tease me."

"So you aren't secretly a princess from another kingdom?" Prompto asked, only slightly serious.

Hermione snorted, eyes already closed again. "Please, Prompto. Do I look like a princess to you?"

No one said anything, relief flowing through them when the blond changed the subject to some of the shots he'd gotten from the battle. Ignis encouraged the conversation, drawing Prompto into an in-depth discussion that lasted the rest of the ride.

Nobody noticed that the prince was not asleep as everyone thought, and that he was watching Hermione with a frown on his face.


	8. Chapter 8

**Thank you Kallashandra, justbeingme77, antienoftheshadows, Livipar, 1Alex mercer, BlueBirdBlue29, ViktornovaMk2, Pookax, mattw2017, IncorruptusUser, TheHeartsPath, Nking99, ravenswing019, jon217 for following/favoring this story!**

 **Reviews: Thank you for all your reviews! They keep my muse going! I'm going to confess something: My weakness in writing is definitely fight scenes and more intimate interactions, so I'm glad you guys are enjoying the fighting I've managed to come up with so far. Sooo thanks to a certain reviewer (you know who you are) whenever I think of Cor, I now automatically think 'one man army' and 'human weapon of mass destruction'. It's done haha there's no going back, so thanks. Once again, I'm happy you guys are enjoying this story! The fodder I have in my brain right now for these two elements as a crossover is so much I have to fight not to start a bunch of new fics.**

 **Before I forgot LIKE I KEEP DOING: I do NOT own Harry Potter or Final Fantasy XV. I'm just playing in their combined sandbox.**

 **I hope you enjoy this chapter! Let me know what you think in the reviews!**

* * *

 **Chapter 8**

A full stomach improved Hermione's pallor, and while she didn't think she'd be up for any fighting, she no longer felt like death. She was pleased to note that after taken a potion, Cor was back to normal. Hermione was still feeling guilty about injuring him in the first place. She hadn't meant to. She just hadn't been able to control the elemental explosive after finishing it. Her head had rushed, her vision blurred, and she had dropped it before she could tell Cor to get clear.

She hadn't mentioned the healing to anyone else, glad that Gladio seemed to have forgotten about that little detail. Who was she kidding? He probably hadn't, but he certainly wasn't going to question her when he was treating her like she was fragile. He'd pitched her tent, made her sit down instead of helping Ignis with meal preparation, brought her a plate, and watched her like a hawk. Hermione's heart melted at his care even as it grated on her nerves.

This feeling of fragility took her back to darker times, moments where she'd been lucky enough to come out alive. She'd been bedridden and on a strict regimen of potions for months after their battle in the Department of Mysteries. She'd barely survived her time at Malfoy Manner; her body only recovered enough for the boys not to leave her behind by the time they fled Shell Cottage to break into Gringotts. Everyone had done what Gladio was doing; making sure she didn't expend energy on anything that required her to leave the bed, watching her every move in case she needed something. As much as she appreciated his effort, it brought back feelings of being a burden, and Hermione _hated_ being considered a burden.

Monica walked out of the flap of Hermione's tent, nodding to Cor. "We're all set."

Oh, that's right. Cor and Monica would be with her tonight. Hermione had hoped to start some things once she'd retired to her tent, but that would be impossible now. She felt an itching need to go back and memorize every book on healing she possessed. A few spells had made themselves known to her after everything was said and done which only served to infuriate her. Why couldn't she have remembered _before_ having to resort to a power she didn't even know she had?

Gladio stood from his seat on the ground next to her, helping her stand up. Hermione fought the sigh that wanted to escape, ignoring the amusement she could see in everyone's eyes. "I'm headed to bed. I'll see you all in the morning."

Cor and Monica followed her. As soon as the tent flap closed, Hermione waved her hand to put up a muffling charm as was her habit whenever she stayed with other people. Her eyes widened a moment later, having completely forgotten Monica had come into the tent with her. She turned, expecting to see the older woman stare at her in disbelief, fear, maybe both.

What she got was the woman looking at her calmly, no surprise on her expression. Cor put a hand on her shoulder. "She knows. I told her."

Hermione relaxed before spinning at pinning Cor with a glare. "Are you kidding me? You threatened me to keep it quiet!"

Cor rolled his eyes, sitting his hunched frame on his roll. "I didn't threaten you. I threatened your stick."

"Same thing," she hissed.

Monica grabbed her hand, forcing Hermione to sit down with them. "Your secret is safe with me." She paused and then added, "All of them."

Hermione didn't know what to say to that, so she only nodded. She started unlacing her boots, resigned to spending another night in these clothes. Thank Merlin for freshening and cleaning charms.

Monica said, "That reminds me." She opened the pack next to her bed, pulling out a bundle of clothing that was familiar to Hermione. "Cor told me not to throw these out."

Hermione grabbed them, clutching them to her chest and pressing her face into the fabric. "Thank you, Monica. You have no clue what this means to me." Summoning her wand, Hermione spread the clothes out before her. With a few swishes of her wand, the tears and rips were mending themselves. She made the bloodstains disappear, eyes tearing up at the familiar house crest on her sweatshirt. The shirt, a Quidditch tee, had been one of Harry's. She'd stolen it from his trunk before setting off to school one last time, shrinking it so that she could wear it whenever she wanted. Now, she enlarged it to its previous size.

She looked at Cor who had been watching her the entire time. "Turn around."

He did as she asked without question. Hermione quickly stripped off her attire, pulling Harry's shirt over her head. Monica gasped, startling both Cor and Hermione. Cor twitched, fighting the need to turn around. "What is it?" He barked.

Monica was staring at Hermione; her lips parted in shock. Hermione gave her a questioning look, but Monica just shook her head. "I'm fine. I bit my tongue."

It was a lie, Hermione could tell, but Cor relaxed anyway. Hermione crawled into her bag before allowing Cor to turn back around. She undid the messy braid she'd been sporting all day, running her fingers through the tresses.

"Would you like me to re-braid it?" Monica asked. "I can start it at your scalp."

Hermione bit her lip. "Do you mind? Gladio did a good job last night, but I need something tighter if it's going to last through our activities. Even after all these years I never learned how to do more than the basic braid."

"No worries." Monica smiled at her. "I'm happy to be of service."

Hermione turned her back to Monica, running her eyes over Cor. Whatever potion Ignis had given him had done wonders. The man was no longer tired; his limp a memory. From her diagnostic charm, Hermione knew every one of his injuries. She had treated everything critical, but he was walking around like he hadn't been hurt at all. She added it to the list of things she wanted to research.

"I'm glad to see you're back to normal," she told him.

He scowled. "Don't tell me you're still feeling guilty."

Hermione let her gaze drop. "I lost control of the spell."

Cor made an aggravated noise, grabbing Hermione's chin with his hand and forcing her gaze to meet his. "Stop that. It's done. Things could have gone better, but we're both alive, and that's what counts." He let go of her chin, leaving her to rub the offended area. "Besides, you ensured I didn't die at the risk of your own life. You're lucky I'm feeling charitable, or I'd be chewing your ass out for that alone."

Hermione's brow furrowed. "What do you mean? I know I was tired, but my body would have knocked itself out if I went too far."

Monica stopped brushing, Cor searching Hermione's eyes before saying, "You don't know."

"Know what?"

Monica resumed the smooth strokes of the brush on her hair, speaking for Cor when the man seemed at a loss for words. "Healing is not a normal gift, Hermione. The only person known to have the gift of healing is the Oracle. It's not widely known, but King Mors possessed the ability as well. It is not a power you can learn. You either are born with it, or you are not."

Hermione figured Mors was an ancestor of Noctis'. His ability to heal was ironic given what his name meant. "I wonder what determines what powers you'll get. Noctis can't seem to use any of the magic freely, but I get the ability to heal on top of elemental prowess." She gave Cor a triumphant look. "This is why I need books."

Cor rolled his eyes. "I'll get right on that, Your Highness."

Hermione wrinkled her nose. "Don't start."

* * *

Later that night, Ignis and Noctis were the only ones up. It was rare for Noctis to be up this late, the prince usually one of the first to head to bed after a long day of fighting. Ignis could tell something was on his mind, a matter troubling enough that it was keeping Noctis from sleeping.

Ignis didn't want to retire before him, but he'd done all he could to prolong the comfortable silence they'd fallen into. Preparations were ready for tomorrow; supplies had been looked over, ingredients had been stored. He'd written an account of today's events in his journal, noting down observations he might want to revisit at a later date. He'd even managed to annoy Gladio through text message about toning down his obvious interest in their female companion. The Shield needed to remember who she was, and what his job entailed.

All that was left to do was get to the middle of whatever was bothering his charge.

Ignis closed his journal, tucking it away in his shirt pocket. He watched Noctis brood into the fire, not seeming aware of his surroundings. He pushed his falling glasses up with a sigh. "Is something the matter?"

Noctis did no more than lift his eyes from the fire to Ignis before moving them back again. "There's nothing wrong."

This again. "We both know that's not true. You know you can talk to me, Noct."

Noctis clenched his fist. "Just drop it, Specs."

Even though leaving it be was probably the right course of action, Ignis wasn't going to this time. Something was bothering the prince, and Ignis knew if he continued to brood he would be distracted until he worked things out. During a normal time that would be fine, but not when Niflheim was hunting them, and they had matters to attend to that required Noctis to be at the top of his game. "I cannot drop it. Whatever it is, I can help you."

Noctis cast a look at the tents before getting up and moving his chair closer to Ignis'. Ignis noticed he positioned himself further from their sleeping quarters. He didn't want to be heard. "Look, I'm not stupid. I've always known something was different with Hermione. I just didn't put the pieces together until that Nif chick called her Princess."

This was not a topic Ignis had been prepared for. "Your Highness-"

"No," Noctis interrupted. "Don't do that. You _knew._ Who else knows? Gladio? Cor? Monica? She almost slipped up earlier."

Ignis pinched the bridge of his nose, wondering when Noctis had fooled everyone into believing he wasn't as observant as his father. "The Marshall warned us not to say anything."

"Why not?" Noctis asked. "Don't you think I deserve to know I have a _sister_? One my father kept from me." His voice became small. "Why hasn't she said anything?"

After observing Hermione for the small amount of time she'd been with them, Ignis could safely say she had no knowledge of her lineage. "I don't think she knows, Noctis. She was with your father during the attack on Insomnia, but if he planned to reveal her status, he never got the chance to."

Noctis looked towards her tent; sorrow etched on his features. "So she was with him when he…" He looked at the ground. "I heard her crying the other night."

Ignis had as well. "Yes, it seems she was close with Clarus Amicitia enough to be affected by his death."

"I wonder where they've been hiding her this entire time." Rage colored Noctis' face briefly before it left, leaving him to sag in his chair. "There are plenty of things I'd take up with my dad if he were still alive, but I don't think I'll ever forgive him for this. She deserves better."

Ignis studied the prince. "You're taking this remarkably better than The Marshall thought you would."

Noctis shrugged. "I think I've known since I first met her. Her magic feels like mine. I know it comes from the crystal, but I could always tell when my father was near. It's the same with her. Dad used to say since we protect the crystal, we could always tell when our blood was with us." He stared into the flames, indecision plain on his face. "Do you think I should tell her? She deserves to know, but I don't know what it will do to her. She might hate me for it."

Ignis was quiet for a long time, thinking things through. "I cannot give you the answer, Noct. I can only give you advice."

"Advice would be good."

"She is struggling," he said. "She is hiding it well, but she was clearly not prepared for the type of life we are leading at the moment. I believe if you put more on her plate than she is ready for, it could have adverse effects on her relationship with us. Bond with her, let her find her place with us that has nothing to do with being your sister, and when you take back your throne, you can acknowledge Hermione as she should have been long before now."

Noctis blew out a breath, lifting his bangs in the air with the force of it. "Yeah, that sounds good. Thanks, Iggy. I was struggling between demanding answers from her, or from Cor."

Ignis' lips twitched. "That would have been a sight to see, demanding something from The Marshall."

Noctis chuckled, "Yeah, I'm not sure my faithful Shield could have saved me." He frowned as he remembered something. "You said Gladio knew? He's been making moves on my sister this entire time?"

Ignis shook his head. "Let it be, Noct. I've already had a talk with him, but unless she rebuff's his advances I doubt he'll stop."

Noctis stood, stretching his limbs after being huddled in the chair most of the night. "I don't want to think about it. I'm still trying to wrap my head around this." He looked towards Hermione's tent again, shook his head, and headed to his own. "Unbelievable."

Ignis stood as well, worried about his charge but pleased the conversation had not ended in waking the entire camp with his rage. He was relieved not to be keeping a secret as important as this from Noctis anymore. It had weighed heavy on his heart to do so. Nevertheless, he understood The Marshall's concern. Noctis could not lose focus on what was important, and while discovering a blood relative was significant in its own right, it was not enough to detract from their primary goal. It couldn't be, not when the fate of their world rested on it.

* * *

Cor and Monica headed out at first light, Ignis and Gladio the only ones awake to see them off. Noctis and Prompto would be asleep for hours yet, and Hermione was still heavily sleeping and recovering from the extensive magic use. He started his bike, nodding to the two men. "Seeing your group in action puts my mind at ease. It's clear I don't need to worry. I'll return to watching the Nif's, call you if I need assistance. Take care." They sped off, disappearing down the long stretch of road.

Hermione woke to the sound of her phone ringing, the heat of the tent suggesting she had slept all morning. She pulled it out from under her pillow, eyes closing again as she answered. "Hello?"

"You sound so cute when you're sleeping. I should call you every morning."

Hermione bolted up in her bag, the familiar female voice that was certainly _not_ Cor or Monica was like a glass of water being poured over her head. She sputtered, "Highwind? How did you get this number?"

"Call me Aranea, Sweetie. Last names are so formal. What's your name?"

"Hermione," she said cautiously. It's not like they could look her up in a system. She was virtually a ghost here.

"Her-mi-o-ne," Aranea sounded out. "Look at that, four syllables, just like mine. It's kismet."

"Look Highwind." The woman on the other line protested, causing Hermione to sigh, "Fine. Aranea, I don't know how you retrieved this number-"

"I have my ways," Aranea said coyly. "I like how you say my name."

Noctis poked his head into the tent, a welcoming smile on his face. Hermione held up a hand before he could open his mouth. She locked eyes with him. "I don't know why a Niflheim officer would be calling me, but I don't think it was just to tease me."

Noctis' smile slid off his face, his head leaving the flap. Seconds later, everyone was piling into her tent. Hermione brought her sleeping bag up to her chest, putting the phone on speaker. Aranea laughed, "I did so call to tease you. It's fun. But you're right, that wasn't the only reason." Her voice became serious, a distinctive change from the normally bubbly woman. "Just wanted to give you a head's up. The lovely High Commander Ravus Nox Fleuret has convinced Emperor Aldercapt that you are in possession of the ring when the three of us know that's not true."

Ravus? Wasn't that Lunafreya's brother? "That was wise of him. Though just because I wasn't wearing it when we fought doesn't mean I don't have it."

Aranea sighed, "Yes, well, given who you are, that is the opinion that has swayed the Emperor's mind. There are orders to kill you on sight and take it. They aren't _my_ orders, and I plan on exploiting that loophole, but the other Commanders will be gunning for you."

Hermione's hand shot out, covering Gladio's mouth. The man had steadily been growing angrier as the call went on. He shot her a look that told her she better let go and she shot him one right back that told him to behave. "I appreciate the head's up." She paused, knowing she shouldn't ask but was curious enough to anyway. "Why did you give me an advanced warning?"

There was a smile in Aranea's voice, the light tone back in full force. "As I said, you're cute. I bet all that beautiful hair would look lovely on my pillow."

Hermione hit the end button, entirely confident she'd never get the woman's laugh out of her head. She removed her hand from Gladio's mouth, his face set in a scowl. She looked at Ignis. "This could become problematic. Niflheim was practically salivating at the thought of the ring when we were getting it out of the city. It's not impossible that we're about to be bombarded with attacks."

Ignis pursed his lips, nodding. "Indeed. Though the advanced warning is a boon, I feel it does little to prepare us. Why would they think you have the Ring of the Lucii?"

Hermione looked around the tent, seeing everyone wanting to know the answer to that question. "I don't understand. I thought Cor told you."

Noctis looked down, bangs hiding his eyes. "The Marshall is good at keeping secrets."

"Well then," Hermione sighed. "I guess it's story time." She bit her lip, looking at Gladio before settling on Ignis. "Can I get dressed first?"

Red stained the Adviser's cheeks. "Of course. My apologies." He ushered everyone out. Hermione dressed in record time, noting that either Cor or Monica had left her a backpack for her things. She gave half a thought to using the same charms on it that had been on her dependable beaded bag, but decided now wasn't the time.

She stepped out of her tent, finding the boys waiting for her. Ignis had been packing up the kitchen but stopped as soon as she appeared. She took the seat Gladio offered her, looking nervously around the group. "I don't know where to start."

Prompto was the least tense of them all, smiling kindly at her. "I hear the beginning is a good place."

She nodded, settling on looking at her hands as she recounted the events of her arrival. "It was chaotic. The Citadel was under attack; there were bodies everywhere. Niflheim's general and High Commander were after the ring, though the latter was content to sit back and watch that armored bastard decimate us." She shuddered as she remembered the way her magic proved useless against him. "If it weren't for Nyx, we might not have made it out."

"Hero was there?" Gladio asked.

Hermione nodded. "Yes, he and Lunafreya arrived just as the ring was rejecting her brother. We were able to escape down a secret passage that would take us directly to a vehicle to take us out of the city."

Noctis leaned forward in his seat, eyes intense as he stared at her. "Lunafreya was in Insomnia?"

Hermione blinked. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Noctis. I forgot you were supposed to marry her. You must be worried about her."

"Is she alright?" Noctis asked, alarmed.

Hermione shrugged guiltily. "As far as I know, yes. She was headed to Altissa in the company of a Kingsglaive when we parted ways." She cleared her throat. "Anyway, we had little time to escape. The General was very persistent. King Regis…" She took a deep breath, willing herself to remain in control. "He passed the ring to Lunafreya with orders to meet with you, and then sacrificed himself so that we could escape." She looked at Noctis, eyes pleading. "Understand, I wanted to stay and help him, but he'd erected a powerful barrier. In those moments, I don't think either me or Nyx could have broken it if we tried. His resolve was strong; his last wish that we find you."

Hermione told them the rest of the tale, ending with finding her way out of the city and bumping into Cor. Noctis' lips twitched. "You punched The Marshall?"

Hermione winced. "I was fairly sure I was in shock by then. He just looked so menacing."

The smile died on his face, solemn eyes holding her own. "I'm sorry you had to go through all that. You could have died."

Hermione sighed, "Could have, but I didn't. The important thing is that Lunafreya has the ring, but for some reason, her brother is keeping that a secret. In the interest of ensuring her safety as long as possible, I think we should take this opportunity and make them think we have it."

Gladio growled, "I don't think you heard that Nif on the phone, correctly. The order is to kill you on sight."

"They are after us because of Noctis anyway," Hermione argued. "Lunafreya needs to keep it safe, and she'll have a harder time doing that if Niflheim soldiers are hunting her."

Ignis held up a hand to stop whatever his companion was going to say next. "How do you propose we fool them into believing we have the ring?"

"Leave that to me," Hermione said cryptically.

"I don't like it," Noctis protested. "Everyone knows I'm supposed to have the ring in the first place. If they see you wearing it, they'll wonder why you haven't given it to me."

"They already know I'm with you and they _still_ think I have the ring," Hermione insisted. "Playing into that misconception can only serve to keep the real ring safe for as long as possible."

"It will also serve to paint you a very tempting target," Ignis pointed out.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I'm already a target. The Niflheim officer from the blockade wanted to take me with him once he'd killed Cor. I have no doubt the Empire's general was able to give enough of a report on my presence to warrant the attacks I've been getting." She smirked. "Besides, are you honestly telling me you four can't handle a bunch of enemy soldiers?"

Ignis gave her an unimpressed look, but her statement worked on the other three. They were quick to reassure her that they could take on Niflheim, and the argument was settled. Hermione moved away to place a call to Cor while they packed everything into the car. He thought it strange that she wanted him to find a ring very similar to the Ring of the Lucii, but didn't demand answers as Hermione thought he would. She concluded that Aranea had placed a call to him as well, lending mystery to just who this woman was.

Once they drove a few miles past the blockade, the terrain gradually began changing from dessert to grassier land. Noctis had decided to use Hermione's lap as a pillow, so she was running her finger's through his hair while watching the scenery as they passed it by. Gladio had his arm stretched out over her seat again, his eyes on his book. Their arrangement was oddly soothing to Hermione, something clicking into place within her with how domestic it was.

"I'm glad we're leaving the desert for a bit," Hermione commented. "All black attire is not conducive to keeping away the heat."

"Yes," Ignis agreed. "It will be nice to see more greenery. We're entering Duscae, a region known for its wetlands."

"Wetlands," Noctis snorted. "Really?"

Ignis ignored him. "Further west lies the Cleigne region where we will find the town of Lestallum."

"Isn't that where Iris was headed to?" Prompto asked.

"Barring delay," Gladio answered, eyes never leaving his book. "She should have arrived by now. Maybe even had herself a look at the meteor."

Hermione stopped trying to guess who Iris was at the mention of a meteor. "What meteor?"

Ignis looked at her from his rearview mirror. "The Meteor of the Six. Its heat is harnessed to power Lestallum."

Hermione quickly went over everything she knew about meteor's. "How long ago did it land?"

Ignis thought it over, finally saying, "It is thought to be as old as Eos itself. The legend goes that Titan himself caught the meteor before it could devastate the land, and still holds it even as he slumbers. Others call it the Astral's shard. Either way, many citizens of the region revere Titan. I believe there is an annual pilgrimage that the more devoted make to pay homage to Titan."

"As steadfast as stone," Hermione mused.

Ignis nodded at Hermione's reference to Titan's description in the Hexatheon. "It certainly ties into the myth nicely." He slowed down, turning into the parking lot of a gas station. "It will be a long drive, a few hours at the very least. We might as well fuel up now." He shut off the engine, turning slightly to see Noctis making no attempt to get up. "The driver's seat is yours should you want it."

Noctis sat up, excitement shining in his eyes. "Seriously? Yes! That means no more boring classical music."

Hermione held in a giggle at Ignis' glare, following Gladio out of his side of the car. She stretched, not being able to move much with Noctis laying on her. Once again, she thought of how great it was to be away from the heat. She'd grown up in an area where the temperature did not go past 90 degrees. It was amazing how she used to consider that hot.

Noctis' phone rang. Hermione expected it to be Cor, but turned like everyone else when Noctis hesitantly asked, "Iris?"

They held a short conversation, Noctis chuckling at something Iris said. When he hung up, Gladio asked, "Was that Iris? She can't even call her own brother?"

"To be fair," Ignis said, amusement in his voice. "Yours wasn't the obituary broadcasted all over Lucis."

Gladio scoffed, "I'm his Shield. If he's gone, chances are I am too."

The mood dropped, Gladio wincing at the reminder he'd just brought up. Hermione looked away from them. It was true. While the news had announced the royal families deaths, King Regis' Shield had not been mentioned.

Prompto bounded over to them, flyer in hand. He did not notice the somber pall that had descended over the group. "Hey guys, look! There's a Chocobo farm not too far away. Can we go? Please?"

She had to ask. "What's a Chocobo?"

* * *

It took her a month to find out a Chocobo was a large bird that people rode in lieu of horses.

Prompto had been aghast to find out Hermione had no clue what a Chocobo was, the boy taking it as a personal insult to his person. She was sure if Ignis had let them, he would have dragged them all to the farm that very minute. As it was, Ignis and Noctis had decided to accept a few hunts for the area along with a few requests from citizens needing help. Not to mention Niflheim had kept to their promise, so much that Hermione could expect an attack at least three times a day.

Sometimes it disconcerted Hermione that she had slipped so easily into the role of killer. It didn't matter that they were trying to kill her first, or that they were clearly the aggressors in this war. Every time they took down an airship full of troopers or completed a hunt, they were taking a life. Of course, that wasn't all they did. There were the Hunter's they kept rescuing, and the dog tags they delivered to the leader when they found them. There was the man whose car had broken almost before sundown. Not only had they insisted he spend the night at their camp, but Gladio and Ignis had buried themselves in car parts until it was working again. Then there was the scientist who Hermione liked even if a little bud of jealousy flared up whenever she watched Gladio's ease with the woman.

It was like they were a balanced group of light and dark. They killed out of necessity but took genuine pleasure in helping anyone that needed assistance.

Hermione had been busy magically during this time as well. With her tent to herself, she was able to get to work on all the research she'd wanted to start. She'd read through the text Luna had given her again and again until she was well-versed on Lucis, the Crystal, the Starscourge, and all that accompanied it. She was aware that there was some information, like the full prophecy of The Chosen King, that was not known by many, least of all her companions, but Hermione could not think of a way to disclose all the information she knew without having to explain _how_ she knew. Ignis would never accept anything less than a truthful answer. At least once a day, Hermione thought about revealing the truth of where she came from to her friends but never did. She wasn't being a very good Gryffindor, Hermione knew, but she couldn't work up the courage to disabuse them of whatever conclusion they'd come to about her. Though how they could believe one of the Astral's was at least half of her gene structure when they were supposed to be _sleeping_ made no sense to Hermione, but she never said a thing.

Cor had come through in more ways than one. While acquiring a ring that looked similar to the Ring of the Lucii, he'd snuck back into Insomnia and liberated the Kingsglaive training library of its manuals. It was a stroke of brilliance, really. Hermione would never have thought to look there had she gone herself. She'd eagerly devoured them, hoping to find some reason that Noctis could not unlock his full potential.

Unfortunately, since the Kingsglaive only borrowed the magic from the royal line, they tended only to manifest some of the magic. All could warp, but some were better with elements than others. Invisibility was another that Hermione had been eager to try out, no raw egg feeling of the disillusionment spell, which had been a plus. There had been some accounts of the Kingsglaive being able to perform impossible feats like running up and down walls. Hermione had failed spectacularly, but Noctis had taken to it like he was born for it. It had been fun watching him play around, the two of them off by themselves with only Gladio as silent company.

She was beginning to suspect there might be an internal problem that prevented Noctis from accessing his full power. It was not her field so she couldn't be sure, but it was a feeling Hermione got after learning as much as she could about the way this magic worked. The library in Tenebrae was starting to look more appealing the longer she went without finding the answer.

Her relationship with Gladio had flourished, though neither actually sat down with the other and discussed what they were. She no longer berated herself for willingly allowing his touches, and was starting to feel out of place if she wasn't sitting on his lap when everyone relaxed by the campfire. They hadn't progressed past flirting and lingering touches, but Hermione knew that would soon come to an end. The heat in his eyes was unmistakable, Hermione getting the feeling that if there was a chance they would not be interrupted, he would jump and snog her into oblivion.

If Hermione was feeling uneasy about keeping secrets from her friends, she was absolutely worried about keeping them from Gladio. She didn't know what exactly was brewing between them, but she knew for sure her heart would hurt if it were lost. Gladio didn't seem the type to suffer liars. The truth will out, like Shakespeare used to say. Hermione could only believe the life she'd started to build would crumble when it did.

Now, though, they were being introduced to giant yellow birds after taking care of a rampaging Behemoth. Prompto was going nuts over them, snapping dozens of pictures and cooing over them like they were babies. She had to admit; they were kind of cute. They preened under the attention, one going so far as to try and nip at Ignis' hair when he'd gotten too close to one and wasn't petting it.

She felt a warm arm slip around her waist, the hand coming to her own and fingering the ring she wore on her middle finger. She leaned into him, no longer embarrassed that she was this close to his bare chest like she had been before. "I still can't believe you managed to get a ring that looks exactly like the royal one," Gladio murmured. "Even Noctis had a hard time believing it was a fake."

Hermione snorted, "Which was ridiculous if you ask me. There's no magic emanating from it. That alone should have told him it was not the real thing." The original ring that Cor had brought her, while similar in cut and metal, had needed Hermione's transfiguration expertise to make it a replica of the fabled Ring of the Lucii. It had given her some satisfaction to see even Ignis' face show shock at the result. She knew that if she could fool him, she would definitely fool Niflheim.

Prompto walked up to them, sunny smile out in full force. "Did you hear? Wiz is letting us choose our own Chocobo's as thanks for taking down the Behemoth."

"Lucky us," Gladio grinned. "Or should I say lucky you? We all know who will really be taking care of these things."

Prompto was bouncing excitably, not even complaining at the thought of work like he usually did. "This will be so great! Maybe I'll even sleep outside from now on, pile in with the birds."

He walked over to Noctis next, the two chatting away as they perused the selection of Chocobo's. Hermione carefully pet a pretty maroon one, the bird leaning into her hand contently. Gladio smirked. "Gonna choose this one? You seem to be fond of red if I remember correctly."

"It's maroon," She told him matter of factly. He was right though. She'd managed to buy an array of maroon, red, and similar variations at any shop they happened to come across that sold them. It kept her from having to shrink Harry's shirt again for when she wasn't wearing what Hermione had learned was the Crownsguard style of clothing. "I don't know which one I'll choose." She grinned at him. "Maybe I'll just ride with you."

"That can be arranged." He pulled her closer, bringing his hand to her cheek, stroking it with his thumb. She gave half a thought to standing on her toes and pulling him the rest of the way, to cover the distance from their mouths and see if the fireworks she could feel building between them went off, but a throat clearing brought them back to reality.

Ignis was standing there, face averted, with the reins for a light blue Chocobo in his hand. "Wiz has a request for us."

Gladio frowned, dropping his hand from Hermione's cheek. "I thought we were headed to Lestallum after this. It's been a month, Iggy. Iris has been waiting a while."

Ignis brought his glassed up from his nose. "Yes, I understand that, but it is quite urgent, and Noctis has already agreed."

Gladio sighed, Hermione looking at him in concern. He had been eager to see his sister, the days spent doing all these errands wearing on his nerves. She wrapped her arms around him in a quick hug, waiting until he'd looked down at her. "After this, we'll pull Noct aside and convince him to head to Lestallum next."

Hermione ended up taking the maroon Chocobo, just to see Gladio's smile come back. They didn't ride together, his own Chocobo a dark gray. Noctis led them back the way they had taken to find the Behemoth, consulting the map as they trudged along. Ignis was concerned about the falling daylight, but Prompto and Noctis couldn't be persuaded to camp and start again in the morning. Hermione was on their side even as she too nervously glanced at the falling sun. A rare Chocobo and her baby were in danger of being eaten. It disgusted Hermione that the Hunter's couldn't have taken the time to help the poor mother, but they could report the incident to a man who couldn't do anything about it.

Oh, Wiz would have gone after the bird himself. He'd have died doing it. He was a gentle man, not much of a fighter. The fact that even Hermione could see that brought her opinion of the Hunter's even lower than it had been.

There was no massive monster to watch out for, so they made their way through the makeshift tunnel quickly. They had to leave the birds behind which delayed their progress by having to search the area on foot. It was quiet, too quiet in a situation where there was a wounded animal. Prompto was noticeably tense, one of his handguns gripped tightly in his fist.

Finally, after almost an hour of searching, the found the Chocobo near the ruins they had fought the Behemoth. She was all black, her body lying limp next to an equally black egg. Prompto ran forward, tears already spilling down his cheeks as he gently pulled the Chocobo's head onto his lap. Noctis crouched down by the egg and touched it. He looked at Ignis. "The egg's still warm."

Ignis looked at the sky, the sun's final rays leaving. "We'll take it to Wiz. He'll know how to care for the egg."

"Wait," Prompto cried out. "She's still breathing."

Hermione, Ignis, and Gladio exchanged a look. Neither of them had seen any chest movement, no wounded cry like animals were wont to do. Hermione crouched down beside Prompto, laying a gentle hand on his arm. "Prom, we need to leave. I know you want to save them both, but-"

"Look!" Prompto grabbed her hand, laying it near the bird's chest. "See! She's still alive!"

Hermione blinked in shock as she felt the faintest of flutters. She glanced at Ignis, seeing he was on edge. She couldn't blame him. The few times they had not made it back to a camp before nightfall, they'd been assaulted by Giants. "He's right. She still has a chance."

Gladio had already taken up a position by Noctis, his eyes scanning the area every few moments. "Then let's give her a potion, and hurry up. The daemons will be out in force pretty soon."

Ignis handed over a vial, Prompto slowly easing the fluid down the Chocobo's throat. They waited a few moments, but the bird didn't come awake with a screech or flap her wings. Her breathing stayed the same, Hermione needing to keep her hand where it was even to feel the rise and fall of her chest. "Somethings wrong," Prompto fretted.

The earth rumbled, a rising heat slowly emerging from the ground. Hermione knew what that meant, and it was confirmed by Gladio, Ignis, and Noctis summoning their weapons. Prompto looked back and forth between the Chocobo and the Red Giant, indecision warring on his face. The others had already gone to meet the daemon, Gladio's battle cries of encouragement drowned out by a roar.

"Go," Hermione ordered. "I'll take care of it."

That was all Prompto needed to join the fight. Gunshots filled the ruin, Hermione erecting a shield to keep any stray fighting away from her. She stroked the bird's neck, cooing softly, "It'll be alright. Don't worry; you'll be healed in no time." She let her magic rise, directing it to the dying Chocobo. Hermione felt information flow into her when her hands glowed. The poor thing had been poisoned on top of injured. She drew the poison out, guided by a voice in her head to keep going until the Chocobo's blood was clear of any toxin. The experience was different, a tingling sensation settling over her body with each passing moment.

The bird's eyes opened, her wings knocking Hermione back as she struggled to get to her feet. She watched, amused when the bird screeched at her and sat down on her egg. "I just healed you. I wouldn't have done that if I wanted your egg."

She turned to watch the fight, getting to her feet when Gladio jumped into the air and brought his sword down in a powerful slash. Noctis hurled a powerful bomb of ice, the daemon disintegrating with one final bellow of rage. She grinned at them, making her way over to give Prompto the good news.

Her heartbeat slowed, her lungs working harder to breathe. Her steps faltered as her eyes clouded over. Hermione made it a few more steps before crashing to the ground on her knees, arms trembling with the effort it took to keep her up. She vaguely heard shouting, the noise sounding farther and farther away the more she fought the urge to go to sleep.

Why were they leaving? Were there more daemons? Didn't they see something wasn't right?

Maybe just a little nap, she thought. She wouldn't do much good in a fight if she were tired.

The rest of her body hit the ground, her mind surrendering to the abyss.

* * *

 **AN: I know the quest to retrieve the Chocobo egg doesn't happen for a good long while, but this time we'll just pretend it happened near the Behemoth location and not the Vesperpool.  
**


	9. Chapter 9

**Thank you Night Cross, rammramm210, BadVibez, fourbearsonabookcase, Mr Bon-Bon, Undine-Genest, Ed Chandor, AngelitoLindo, and StillReflections for following/favoring this story!**

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* * *

 **Chapter 9**

 _She was home._

 _The familiar sent of baked pie welcomed her as she stepped through her childhood home. It was so great to be back. She loved Harry and the Weasley's to pieces, but she'd missed her parents. Hogwarts was home, but nothing would ever beat the light that filled her parent's eyes when they saw her._

 _Placing her trunk and Crookshank's carrier in the living room, Hermione spotted her father in the kitchen, setting the table. "Dad!" she shouted, running to him excitedly._

 _His arms wrapped around her, holding her tight. "Daughter," he murmured._

 _Hermione frowned at the more formal address, wondering if she did something wrong. She looked up and met the eyes of Regis Lucis Caelum._

 _She was in the Auror interrogation room, no sign of Regis anywhere. A dirty thin-looking blonde sat at the table; magic sealing handcuff's placed over delicate wrists. Hermione gasped as she looked at the blonde's face, seeing a weary Luna Lovegood._

 _A haggard Harry Potter stood over her, his eyes hard. Hermione's heart broke at the sight of him. He wasn't taking care of himself. Why wasn't he taking care of himself? Why does Luna look like she'd spent time in Azkaban?_

" _Look," Harry's voice was cracked. "You know the DoM figured a way to install security cameras that could withstand being exposed to magic. There is no mistake. You Imperiused Hermione, and threw her into the Veil!"_

" _I'm not denying it," Luna said softly._

 _Harry slammed his hands on the desk. "Yes, you don't deny you murdered my_ _ **best friend**_ _though you claim she's not dead! I just want to know why! She was your friend, Luna. She trusted you!_ _ **I trusted you!**_ _"_

 _Luna looked up from the table, but when she spoke, it wasn't to Harry. "She was needed somewhere else."_

 _Hermione looked around at a region that seemed familiar to her. There was more greenery, no paved roads that should have been there. Her heart bleeding from what she'd just witnessed, Hermione sat in the tall grass, eyes pleading at the stars. "I don't want to be here. Please."_

 _A bright light came shooting down. A shooting star, Hermione thought, am I supposed to wish? Her eyes widened in alarm as it didn't slow down. She jumped to her feet, knowing she wouldn't outrun the blast, but instinct told her to move her ass._

 _Then a gigantic rock man rose into a crouch, bracing his arms. How had Hermione not seen him when he was so huge? The shooting star crashed into him, the man gritting his teeth and stopping it from impacting the ground. Hermione was blasted off her feet, the air burning and blinding light filling her vision. When she was able to lift her head, Hermione saw the titan steadily sinking into the ground, his hunched form still holding the meteor. His angry eyes lifted to hers, red overtaking her sight._

Hermione gasped, her head nearly splitting in two from the overwhelming pressure. Her hands clutched her head as she hunched into a ball. Her eyesight was blurred, tinges of red at the edges. She heard voices; someone murmured, "Look at her eyes."

She could make out messy black hair. "Harry," Hermione spit out through the pain. "What happened?" Why wasn't anyone giving her a pain potion?

"Wha…" Harry started to say, but the word trailed off to give way for silence.

Knowing her best friend, Hermione knew she would have to wait for answers until the pain subsided. Merlin, this was awful. She tried to breathe through it, wishing desperately for a Healer to come in and give her something. Whimpering when the pounding increased until she was sure she heard garbled language, Hermione wrapped her arms over her middle. Murderous red eyes invaded her mind when the pain reached its peak. She was sure she would pass out, it would be a mercy, but the pain subsided at a snail's pace until her eyes were only obscured because of her tears.

She uncurled from the fetal position she'd put herself in, rubbing her eyes to clear the excess fluid. The first person she saw was Noctis, eyes wide and concerned and a little hurt. She reached out a hand to touch his knee, her voice raspy. "Are you okay? What's wrong?"

He stared at her, expression ranging from confusion to disbelief with a little amusement thrown in. He sighed, grabbing her hand and squeezing it. "You're the one who almost died, and you're asking me if I'm alright?"

She took in his bedraggled appearance. He looked exhausted, eyes slightly bloodshot and clothes more rumpled than usual. "I'm not the one who looks like he hasn't slept in ages. How long have you been here?" She looked around the room, recognizing the small space as one of the private bedrooms in the camper at Wiz's Chocobo Post.

"Three days," Noctis said. "You've been out for three days."

Hermione struggled to sit up, Noctis jumping up and helping her until her back rested against the headboard of the bed. She looked around the empty room. "I don't remember much of what happened. I remember heal…" She trailed off, biting her lip to keep from finishing that sentence.

"You healed the female Chocobo," Noctis finished for her. "We got that." He sent her a reproving glare. "Of course, we would have known sooner if you had shared that you could heal in the first place."

She faltered under his angry gaze, fixing her gaze on the wall behind him instead. "I told Gladio when it first happened. I thought he would have told the rest of you."

"Yea," Noctis gritted out. "He didn't. He only thought to bring up the information when we were desperately trying to find out why you were dying when the fighting didn't even reach you."

Hermione shoved the feeling of guilt away, focusing on what he'd told her. "What does healing have to do with me almost dying? I had plenty of energy."

Noctis deflated, dropping down onto the small space beside her. She moved over, giving him room to settle comfortably on the bed. She let her head rest on his shoulder, intertwining their fingers and settling them on her lap. "You know," Noctis said, staring at their linked hands. "Healing isn't a common power. I know Lunafreya can do it because she's the Oracle, but I've never heard of it manifesting otherwise."

"Cor told me King Mors possessed the ability," Hermione told him. "I had hoped the Kingsglaive training manuals would have explored that area of the Crystal's power more, but it didn't."

"That's because none of Kingsglaive ever showed a proclivity towards healing," Ignis said as he stepped into the room. He gave her a glass of water. "Cor was remiss in not informing you more about what healing entails when he found out you didn't know. It seems when one heals, they use up their own energy to do it. When you healed Cor at the blockade we destroyed, he said you were utterly drained afterward. That was because you healed severe injuries that were threatening his life after performing all the magic you already had fighting the Magitek. You were lucky not to have died."

Hermione filed the information away on her growing folder of all things related to the Crystal and its magic. "I can see that. But what does that have to do with this incident? I was nowhere near depletion when I healed the Chocobo."

"Yes, but she was poisoned. When you are healing ailments such as that, you absorb the affliction yourself." Ignis ran a hand through his hair, his normally perfectly groomed locks falling into disarray. "I must apologize, Hermione. We didn't have the right antidote on hand. I'm afraid you wouldn't have recovered if Prompto hadn't had the foresight to call Cor. Luckily Monica was with him. She has a background in medicine, and was able to procure the right antitoxin before you succumbed to the venom."

His face was controlled, but Hermione could tell he was beating himself up. He prided himself on having everything they needed, taking his role as caretaker for their group seriously. She gave him a small smile. "Don't blame yourself, Ignis. I'm the idiot that doesn't understand her powers. Now," she said in an attempt to lighten the atmosphere. "Why aren't there two more people by my deathbed?"

If anything, the mood plummeted.

Noctis tightened his fingers around hers, seemingly unaware he was doing so. Ignis' expression grew dark. Hermione felt a fissure of fear run through her. "Did something happen?"

"I apologize, Hermione," Ignis stated. "When we managed to get you here, I had to undress you to assess nothing was wrong with you physically. I discovered something that did not go over well with certain people."

Hermione's stomach dropped, her eyes immediately flying to her arm. She hadn't realized she was dressed in her nightclothes. While Harry's shirt covered most of it, Hermione could see the childlike D carved into her arm. She had been so good at hiding it, never taking off her jacket, buying shirts that covered everything. How was she going to explain this? Of all the scars she had received during the war, this was the one that she could not get over, the one that caused no small amounts of shame.

"What's a Mudblood?" Noctis asked. His voice sounded calm, but his fingers were gripping hers to the point of pain.

"It means dirty blood," she said quietly. She kept her eyes on her lap, not able to look at the two men in the room. "There are some who take issue with the circumstances of my birth. This was a gift, a reminder that some consider me an abomination."

Noctis stood abruptly, ripping his hand from hers. "I need air." He walked away from the room, the camper door slamming shut a moment later.

Hermione pulled her knees to her chest, burying her face in her lap. She didn't cry; she had vowed never to cry over this stupid mark ever again. Still, she took shuddering breaths to try and gain some control. Even after all these years, the thought of that night was enough to crumble any mask she put forth.

She let herself turn into Ignis when he put a hesitant arm around her. The man so rarely showed physical affection for anybody, yet he was running a soothing hand down her hair. "They're wrong you know. You aren't an abomination, and you can't help the circumstances that brought you into this world. This mark they put on you, their behavior, _that's_ the abomination."

Hermione gave a choked laugh, not able to help the salty liquid that spilled onto his button-down shirt. "It took me a long time to get there, but I don't let this define me. People tell me that I should look at it as a badge of courage, a reminder of what I survived, but it's hard not to look at it and cringe in disgust. It's why I keep it covered. As long as I can't see it, I can pretend it's not there."

"I cannot pretend to know your struggle," Ignis said carefully. "I can only assure you that we will be there if you want to share that part of your life. You are very much an integral part of this group. Please remember that."

"Of course she knows that," Gladio spoke from where he'd been watching them from the doorway. His eyes were on her. "Can you give us a moment, Iggy?"

"Certainly." Ignis pat Hermione's shoulder before removing his arm and making his way out of the room. Gladio closed it behind him, the room suddenly seeming much smaller than before.

Hermione waited for him to say something, fidgeting when he didn't. He continued to watch her, arms folded across his chest. She opened her mouth to demand why he was staying silent when _he_ was the one to request they be alone, but what came out of her mouth was, "What happened to your jaw?"

It was bruised, the discoloration starting near his chin and continuing to his cheek. Gladio shrugged. "Noctis punched me."

"What?" Hermione squeaked out. "Why would he do that? Does it hurt? Of course it hurts." She stood from the bed, closing the distance between them and reaching out to probe it. "At least it doesn't look broken."

Gladio winced when she poked a tender spot. "Kid sure packs a punch. Wouldn't have let it land, but it was either Cor or me. As it's my sole job to ensure he lives, I took the hit."

Hermione looked at him, confused. "Why would he want to punch…" She looked down, folding her arms over her stomach. "Oh."

"Yeah." Gladio watched as she returned to the bed before following suit. "Though I don't think I would have had to worry. I didn't think The Immortal was capable of feeling anything, but he dropped everything and raced here. He's been out killing any Nif's that happen to get too close to the area. I don't think he's slept this entire time you've been out."

Hermione shook her head. "Honestly, he has no reason to feel guilty. I don't care what Ignis says."

Gladio scoffed. "Oh, he isn't feeling guilty. He's absolutely furious with you for putting yourself in this position. No, when we told him you were dying, he ordered Ignis to keep you stable and practically teleported here with Monica. The look on his face when he saw you, that wasn't the face of a man who was feeling guilty. He was scared. In all the time I've known him, I have never seen him crack that stoic exterior he likes to put out."

Hermione was astounded. Sure, she and Cor had grown closer since the blockade battle, but she'd never thought he would be bothered much if she died beyond the initial feeling of losing a comrade. "He does think of me as one of his charges," Hermione said. "I guess I can see why he might be put out if something happened to me."

Gladio opened his mouth, but then closed it and shook his head. He held out his arms. "Come here."

Hermione climbed onto his lap, the smell of everything that made up Gladio enveloping her senses. She pressed a small kiss to his chest, reassured by the way he tightened his arms around her. She said, "I'm sorry I delayed us. I know you've been itching to get to Iris."

Gladio tipped her face up with his finger. "Don't worry about that. Just don't do it again. You scared years off our lives with that stunt."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I didn't do it on purpose. Believe it or not, before I met you people I led a relatively boring life."

"Not boring enough," Gladio said. "The scars speak for themselves." Like a bucket of ice water had been poured over her, Hermione jumped off his lap in shock. How had he made her forget that he'd seen she was disfigured? Gladio reached out a hand to her in confusion, dropping it when she moved back. "What's wrong?"

His confused tone was enough to have Hermione let out a small laugh of disbelief. "What's _wrong_? How can you bring them up like they don't bother you?"

Gladio stared steadily at her. "I wasn't, but they don't."

"Ignis said you were upset when you saw them," she shot back.

Gladio stood, forcing her to step back until she bumped into the door. The low guttural sound he made stopped any protest she had. "Of course they made me angry. Someone carved _into_ you. You have old scars that tell me you've had your fair share of fighting. I was _furious_." He stopped, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath to calm himself. When he opened them, his amber gaze was tender. "But they don't bother me the way you think they do."

She couldn't believe it. She'd only had two boyfriends once peace had settled in the magical world. Her relationship with Ron had fizzled out within enough time for there to be no hard feelings, but Draco had been promising. She had fully believed they could have made a future work, but he couldn't stand the reminder of what had been done to her in his home. He'd tried, but his never-ending guilt and depression had killed any chance they might have had if there had been no war. The entire experience led to her belief that no one on her side of the pond could overlook the mark, and she'd had no interest in leaving her home to secure a relationship. The universe had a twisted way of proving her right.

Hermione sighed, letting her head fall back against the door. "You know, I never planned to let you see the one on my arm."

He gave her an amused look, leaning into her now that she was calming down. "I would have seen them eventually. You couldn't have kept it covered forever."

That had been her plan, glamour every day for the entire time she was here. It was too bad she hadn't found something she liked so that she could set the charm. "You underestimate the lengths I was willing to go to hide this from everyone."

Instead of telling her what he thought of that, Gladio fingered the scar that ran down his face. "If I had known you didn't like scars, I would have covered this one up. I can see how it would disgust you. I used to be a pretty good looking guy before this."

Hermione frowned in annoyance. "It doesn't disgust me, and I still think you're handsome. Noctis told me the story behind it. The fact that you let the guy hit you instead of harming him-" She cut herself off when his grin came out in full force. She rolled her eyes. "I can't believe I let myself be played like that."

"Surprised me too," he said cheerily. "I expect it'll never happen again, so I'll take this small victory and commit it to memory." He laughed when she playfully slapped his chest, grabbing both of her hands and bringing them around his neck. She let him lift her so that her legs could wrap around his waist. It was a position they had been in plenty of times over the past month. He was a good foot taller than her, and she was averagely sized as it was.

He nosed her hair aside, pressing small kisses to her neck and shoulder. Hermione let her head fall to the side, sighing softly as those kisses turned heated. He left a wet trail up her shoulder, the side of her neck, the underside of her jaw, until he came to her mouth. He stopped just before their lips could touch, watching her with a predatory gaze, his eyes like molten honey.

She realized this was as far as they'd ever gotten. There was no privacy when traveling with a group in close quarters. There were constant interruptions, or Noctis would take off exploring and Gladio would immediately shift into Shield mode.

But they were alone now.

As if thinking the same thing, Gladio let his lips brush hers; once, twice, three times before pressing them more firmly. His tongue darted out, urging her to open her mouth and let him in. She did just that, her own tongue meeting his and tangling in a way that had them both groaning. Hermione's hands tangled in his hair, kissing him harder as one of his hands found its way under her shirt.

She didn't realize there was a steady pounding at the door until Gladio pulled his lips away from hers in irritation. He barked, "What?"

Still in a haze of this growing need he'd started in her, Hermione whined a little and tried to pull him back to her. He let her, closing his eyes and enjoying the sensation of their tongue's tangling together once again. All too soon, the voice that had been speaking to them penetrated the bubble they'd found themselves in. "I am opening this door. She better be decent."

He brought her away from the door, laying his forehead on hers and only letting her untangle her legs from his waist when Cor stepped into the room. The Marshall's usual stoic expression was on his face, but there was a twitch in his eye as he watched Hermione press one last kiss to Gladio's chest, ignoring the silently fuming man behind her. The Shield paid little attention to Cor as well, smiling warmly at her before pecking the crown of her head and informing them he was going to look for Noctis.

When the door closed, Hermione finally focused on Cor. "How are you?" she asked cautiously.

"Fine," Cor gritted out. "I'd be better if someone stopped trying to kill herself."

She let out an annoyed huff. "I was not trying to kill myself. Why is everyone presuming I did this on purpose?"

Cor gave her a suspicious look. "You didn't feel anything? There was no time while healing that stupid bird that your body was telling you something was wrong?"

"No," Hermione frowned, giving it serious thought since he seemed to think she should have. "I mean, I felt fine. The healing felt different, but the effects didn't start until after I'd healed the Chocobo. I'd say a good five minutes passed before I felt anything at all."

"The healing felt different," Cor repeated slowly. His eye was twitching again. "How did it feel different?"

Hermione brought up the memory in her mind, remembering the tingling sensation that had invaded her body, the way she knew exactly what to do to draw the poison out. "Well, I've never healed anyone or anything other than you, but I knew exactly what to do. I don't want to say a voice was guiding me, but that's what it felt like. My body was tingling the entire time, but my instincts told me I needed to keep going until her blood was clear."

Cor's face went blank; even the twitching was back under control. "I see." He stared at her, his eyes on hers but Hermione had a feeling he wasn't seeing her. He was looking through her, thinking about something else. "Was this same instinct controlling you when you were healing me?" he asked. His mind was still somewhere else even though he was able to ask questions.

Hermione shrugged. "I don't know. I was hysterical when I thought you were going to die. Once it started happening, my only thought was to save you."

His eyes cleared, no longer focused on whatever thoughts were occupying his mind. "I want you to stop healing. Unless it's Noctis, you don't use the power for anything."

Hermione was displeased, it was clear in her voice. "Care to tell me why I'm being given this order?"

"No," he said curtly. He walked out of the room, leaving her to fume silently.

* * *

Hermione didn't leave the camper until she heard Cor's bike driving away. She was still upset at being given an order with no explanation. He expected her to follow it, of course. He was used to minions obeying his directives.

Well, he obviously didn't know Hermione Granger very well. She'd broken the rules before. She had no qualms about doing so again.

Not that she planned on healing every little injury that came her way. She wasn't stupid. Now that she knew the risks that came with such a gift, she would be sure to be more careful in the future. Like maybe ask Monica for a list of antidotes and other potions that they could use on their journey. She didn't doubt Ignis' ability to be fully stocked, but it never hurt to have extra.

The first people she saw were Prompto and Noctis sitting by the black Chocobo they'd worked to save. Gladio and Ignis were standing a few feet away, talking with Wiz. Hermione approached the younger two, eager to check up on the egg the mother had mistakenly protected from her.

To her delight, instead of an egg, a baby was sitting contently in the small nest someone had prepared. Its mother sat in the back of it, preening under the boy's attention. It was only a baby, but it was the size of a regular full grown chicken. The baby was all black, no other speck of color in sight. Having developed a fondness for babies over the last couple of years, Hermione immediately went down on her knees when she reached them, carefully petting the top of the chick's feathered head.

"Aren't you precious," she cooed. "You are so adorable."

"Isn't he?" Prompto spoke in a loving tone. "He hatched a day after we brought him back."

The baby gave a small squawk when she scratched the back of his next, wings fluttering just a bit. "Like that, do you?" she asked. She looked at Noctis. He was laying against the mother, scratching along her back as well. "Looks like mom took a shine to you."

"Yea," Noctis said eagerly. "Wiz says I can take her once the chick's grown up a little bit." He watched the way the baby bird cuddled into Hermione's caresses. "Maybe you can take the baby. He seems to like you well enough."

"Maybe," she agreed. She was glad to see Noctis had lost the foul mood he'd left her room in. She's been a little worried he would sober up when he saw her, but he seemed to have forgotten about what had made him upset. Hermione was hoping to keep it that way. He was such a sweet person to get angry on her behalf even though he didn't have all the pieces to the puzzle. Looking towards Gladio, Hermione remembered that her forced rest had caused them yet another delay on getting to Lestallum. "Hey, Noct? We might want to think about heading out now while we still have enough daylight to make it to Lestallum. Iris has been waiting to see you guys long enough, don't you think?"

Noctis looked to where she was starting, a guilty flush rising to his face. "Right. Gladio's been pretty patient." He stood up, extended a hand to her. "Let's head out."

Lestallum was as close to a big city that Hermione had seen in a while. It didn't have the futuristic quality that Insomnia had, but neither had any of the lands outside of what people referred to as the Crown City. It was also hot, the heat almost unbearable. She'd thought the desert was bad, but this heat was something else entirely. Prompto demanded they get a shot together as a group near the canyon that surrounded the front of the city. Noctis and Gladio threw their arms around Hermione; her body dwarfed between the two. Hermione smiled happily at the camera, her own arms on their back.

Gladio informed them his sister was staying at a hotel named the Leville, so off the went once Ignis had gotten directions from a local. Prompto, Ignis, and Noctis were eyeing the stalls, but Gladio was walking ahead of them. His long legs carried from faster than the group was willing to move. Hermione stuck close to Noctis, knowing by now that his body would change direction without a thought if he saw something that interested him.

When the tremors hit, Hermione's head started to throb. She clutched Noctis' arm for support, trying to keep her gaze focused in front of her but failing when her vision clouded over in red. Distantly, she recognized Noctis was holding onto her just as tightly and hunching over in pain. She heard an angry bellow in her mind, orange-red eyes searing into her skull, before the tremors stopped and the pain went away.

The red haze cleared from her eyes, Ignis' sharp green eyes staring at her and Noctis. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Uh, nothing. My head just started to hurt," Noctis answered. He glanced at Hermione in confusion, but she could only shrug. She had no idea what had happened either.

Prompto looked at them worriedly, Gladio looking around him like he could find the source of their discomfort in the ally they were in. "Are you sure you're alright. You guys looked pretty out of it."

Noctis nodded for them both. "We're fine. We probably just need to eat."

Hermione wasn't so sure. She had a few theories but kept them to herself. She was sure the eye she was seeing belonged to the Archaean. The dream from earlier suddenly didn't feel like a dream. Why would he be trying to contact Noctis, contact her?

Hermione had been walking on autopilot, but shook herself out of it when someone shouted, "Gladdy!"

There was visible relief on Gladio's face as he held his arms out for a hug. "Iris."

Iris Amicitia was younger than Prompto and Noctis, her height just an inch off Hermione's. Her eyes were darker than Gladio's, hair just one color off black. Her attire was interesting, but entirely appropriate for the heat of this city. Hermione noticed the trademark boots of the Crownsguard, and she wondered if Iris had the same training that Gladio did.

Iris was chatting at the boys rapidly, no one able to get a word in edgewise. "I still can't believe it took you guys a month to come see me. You guys are staying here, right?" Hermione didn't think it was a question.

Ignis nodded. "That is the plan."

Hermione watched Gladio hold his sister, and Iris content to stay in his arms. Their affection for each other was clear as day. It warmed Hermione's heart to see this side of Gladio, so used to his gruff manner with the guys and the flirty nature he put out with her.

Iris turned to her, eyes wide as she studied her. "Who are you?"

Gladio groaned, "Iris, that's rude."

Hermione laughed, "That's alright." She held out her hand. "Hermione."

Her eyes lit up. "So you're Hermione." At Hermione's confused look, Iris explained, "I heard Monica telling Dustin about you. Is it true-"

"Why don't we find somewhere more private to talk," Ignis interjected.

The moved up the stairs, Gladio moving forward to embrace the old man that met them at a room door. He was with a younger boy, who Hermione assumed was related to him. They had the same eyes. "Jared and Talcott. It's good to see you."

"Prince Noctis," the boy exclaimed excitedly. He put a hand to his heart in a small salute. "Iris is safe with me."

Jared and Iris chuckled, the old man saying, "Please excuse my grandson. He has yet to learn his manners."

Noctis shrugged. "I like it."

Jared nodded gratefully. "Your Highness is too kind. We shan't impose."

Jared quickly led his grandson out, Iris shutting the door behind them. The room's mood dropped when Iris sat down, her face set in a sad frown. "I'm happy you guys weren't in the Crown City when it was attacked."

Noctis sent a quick look to Hermione before asking, "What was it like? We've already heard some of it."

Iris closed her eyes. "It was terrible. The Citadel took a beating, as did many of the council members homes." She opened her eyes. "The good news is, a lot of the outlying areas were able to evacuate before the fighting reached them. Most of the Crownsguard died ensuring that."

"They had tactical targets in mind," Ignis said. "Anyone who could potentially take up the mantle of Lucian leadership."

Iris nodded. "That's what Monica figured. We saw the shield fall, heard the explosions." She shuddered. "One of the airships practically landed in our backyard. It's like they knew which family we were. I didn't think we were going to make it out, but…"

"But what, Iris." Gladio had his arms crossed over his chest, his hands clenched. Hermione wanted to reach out and comfort him, but she didn't know how his sister would take it.

Iris turned to look at her. "Then I think you happened."

"Me?" Hermione asked incredulous.

"You and Nyx Ulric were with Lady Lunafreya, right?" Hermione nodded. Iris grinned. "Well, Monica and Dustin were still trying to get us off the grounds when they suddenly got back on their airship and left. One of their radios was left behind, and we clearly heard General Glauca ordering a full-on pursuit of you guys." Her eyes zeroed in on the ring on Hermione's finger. "That's what Niflheim was after." She looked at Noctis. "Why aren't you wearing it?"

Noctis didn't answer, looking around the room for help. Gladio and Ignis were communicating silently the way they did when a decision needed to be made, while Prompto kept opening and closing his mouth. She certainly hoped none of them were planning on telling Iris this was not the real Ring of the Lucii. Deciding to ensure they didn't, Hermione spoke up. "Noctis isn't ready to wear it. With Niflheim doing everything they can to acquire it, we thought it would be best I keep hold of it until he _is_ ready."

Iris didn't dispute the claim. She nodded and stood to bid them goodnight. She gave Gladio a hard hug, the man clutching her to him for a little bit before letting her go. She closed the door behind her, leaving the group in silence.

Prompto was the first to speak up. "So… How are we sleeping tonight?"

Ignis sighed, "This was the only room available." The group looked at the two queen-sized beds. "Normally, this wouldn't be a problem but we have Hermione."

Hermione snorted, "Way to make that sound like a burden, Ignis." As he opened his mouth to protest, Hermione held up a hand. "Relax, I'm only teasing. I can go sleep with Iris."

She missed the quick look Ignis shot Gladio. Gladio said, "You don't want to do that, she snores. I'll bunk with her, gives us a chance to catch up."

Hermione smirked. "Pot. Kettle."

Gladio shrugged, not denying he was also prone to snoring. Prompto and Noctis ragged on him about it all the time. He grabbed her hand. "Walk me over?"

Hermione followed him out of the room, not having to walk very far as everyone was on one floor. When they reached Iris' room Gladio lifted her, pressing her back against the wall and covering her mouth with his. He took his time, tongue lazily entangling with hers as his hand crept up her shirt to stop at the curve of her breast. Hermione wanted him to touch her, to lift her shirt and feel his hand on her skin but that would require them to separate, and Hermione wasn't ready for the kiss to stop.

His lips rushed down the line of her throat, stopping at the spot where her neck met her shoulder and just feasted. Hermione could only gasp when Gladio bit down on the pulse at her neck, followed by a groan when he soothed it with his tongue moments later. He brought his lips back to hers, his mouth more aggressive as he slowly started to move against her. The feel of him pressing up against her blurred Hermione's mind more than the kiss had. Running her hands down his chest, she fixed her mouth on his throat; licking, nipping, and sucking until Gladio was pulling her harder against him.

She tensed a bit in anticipation when his fingers brushed against the waistband of her pants, but Gladio stopped grinding against her, resting his forehead on hers and squeezing his eyes shut as he fought to calm down. "We need to stop," he murmured.

Hermione knew he was right. They were outside his sister's room for Merlin's sake. Finding her brother in this intimate of a position was not one of the impression's Hermione wanted to make on Iris. Even as the promise of what could have happened still had her heart pounding, her head cleared enough to acknowledge his decision with a quick nod.

She smiled sweetly at him when he set her back down, pressing one last chaste kiss to his heart. "I'll see you in the morning."

He smirked. "Count on it." He kept his eyes on her until she'd swept back in the room with the guys.

Easing himself into the room, Gladio wasn't surprised to find Iris waiting for him. Her brow was raised as she sat cross-legged on the bed. "So you and Noctis' sister, huh?"

He shrugged. "Looks like." He sat next to her on the bed. "Don't mention the connection to her, alright? If you know that much, you'll know she hasn't got a clue and it's going to stay that way until Noctis tells her himself."

Iris nodded, used to obeying her older brother. "Of course, my lips are a vault." Her eyes watered as she stared up at him. "Gladdy…Dad…"

Gladio pulled her onto his lap, pressing his face into her short cap of hair as she cried into his chest. For the first time since he'd learned of his father's death, Gladio was truly able to grieve with someone who knew Clarus Amicitia as he did. He let the tears he'd kept himself from crying fall, knowing he didn't have to be strong for anyone in that moment. It was just him and his baby sister, a regular occurrence in the Amicitia household, but this time their dad wasn't coming home late after being with the King all day.


	10. Chapter 10

**Thank you lunaatje123, angelrider13, AporiaDaze, orangesorafan, Salenar, Merged Claressa SSJ5 Goddess, Chillifee, BiteMedoll, and Purplehiker for following/favoring this story!**

 **Reviews: Thank you for your reviews! They keep my muse going! I apologize for any confusion with the last chapter. Going forward, take note that any scenes in italics are either dreams, memories, the past, or other mind experiences. Not sure about out of body, but we'll see if we get there. I really like the relationship I'm building between Noctis and Hermione. I actually second guess myself on that even though I have like a million siblings (4), so I write fluffy stuff like this and think 'me and my brother are never this sappy' but I'm doing it.**

 **I hope you enjoy this update! Let me know what you think in the reviews!**

* * *

 **Chapter 10**

Hermione and Noctis were the last to wake up the next morning. The room was empty when Hermione opened her eyes, the curtains drawn shut to stop the sunlight from blinding the remaining occupants. The bed Prompto and Ignis had slept on was neatly made, something she was sure Ignis had taken care of. Hermione remembered a time when she would be up at the crack of dawn, but all her late night research activities and knowledge that nothing would get done before noon at the earliest had retrained Hermione's body to sleep in late.

Noctis was positioned on his stomach, one arm resting under his pillow and the other curled around her. That development had happened sometime during the night, and Hermione was tempted to ask Ignis which of them the prince cuddled with in the tent. Her bet was on Prompto.

Stroking a hand through his messy hair until he stirred, Hermione said, "It's time to wake up."

Noctis shook his head into his pillow, removing his arm from her waist and pulling the blanket tighter around him.

Hermione rolled her eyes, smiling at the way he seemed to disappear into the covers. "Come on, Noctis. I promise the bed will still be here later, but now it's time to see what the others are up to."

She had to coax and prod him a couple more times before Noctis groaned and flipped onto his back. "Fine." He stared moodily at the ceiling like it was the cause of all his problems before getting up and stumbling to the bathroom, grumbling all the way. Hermione chuckled to herself. Some boys, no matter what world she was in, would never change.

They walked down to the lobby once they were ready for the day, finding only Iris and Gladio waiting for them. Gladio walked up to her, putting his arm around her and leaning down to give her a quick kiss. "We're going out."

Hermione nodded in acceptance, having planned on trying to wrangle some alone time with him at some point in the day. "Where are the others?"

"Prompto's out taking some pictures of some areas he was noticing yesterday, and Ignis left with Jared and Talcott to browse the market." Gladio gestured to where Iris was dragging a slightly confused Noctis out of the hotel. "Iris wanted to show him some stuff, so it's just you and me."

Hermione grinned at him. "What did you have in mind?"

"Ever had Cup Noodle?"

* * *

Trying Cup Noodle, which was exactly what Hermione imagined it would be, turned into strolling around the markets and then taking a walk through the city. Gladio had kept her laughing throughout the day, Hermione was sure her sides would never be the same. Any time he could convince her to follow him into a secluded corner, he would kiss her until she was sure she would melt into the pavement. It was a nice reprieve from the constant traveling and Magitek fighting they had been doing. She hadn't seen a single Niflheim soldier all day, a new record for sure.

They were walking back to the hotel, Hermione contently tucked into Gladio's side. The sun had started to set, and Gladio had deemed it time to head back. Hermione didn't mind. Today had been a pretty great day. Gladio brought her to a stop by the fountain in front of the hotel. "Did you have fun today?"

Hermione smiled up at him. Did he even need to ask? "I had a great time. Thank you for taking me out."

"You're welcome," he grinned back. "So since you enjoyed it so much, you think you might want to do it again? The next time we have a chance?"

Hermione stood on her toes, pressing a soft kiss to his mouth. "Of course I would. I'm already looking forward to it."

He cupped her face in his hands, kissing her hard but briefly. "Great. I'm glad we're on the same page." He removed his hands, using one to entwine their fingers together. "Let's go in before Ignis sends out a search party."

Their group along with Jared, Talcott, and Iris were in the lobby. Noctis walked up to her, barely batting an eye at their tangled fingers. "Mione, Talcott has some information for us."

Hermione let Noctis pull her away from Gladio, walking over to where Jared and Talcott were talking with Ignis. She grinned at the boy. "Hey, Talcott. I don't think we've been formally introduced. I'm Hermione, but you can call me Mione if you want."

Talcott's eyes widened. "Thanks, Mione. They wouldn't let me tell Prince Noctis my story until you got back."

"I apologize for keeping you waiting then," Hermione replied. "You can tell us now if you want."

Talcott nodded eagerly. "You got it." He turned to Noctis. "There's this legend about a sword, and the sword is supposed to be behind a waterfall nearby. They say no one can find the sword, because a daemon who messes with your mind lives there too."

Ignis said, "That could very well be a royal arm."

Hermione agreed. "It's worth checking out. Thanks, Talcott."

Talcott beamed at them. "I'm happy to help."

Noctis scratched his head. "Do we have to leave right now? The sun is going down, and who knows when we'll have access to beds again."

Gladio, who had walked over with Prompto after hearing Talcott from afar, frowned. "What's wrong with camping?"

Hermione held in a grin at the insult in his voice. She definitely wouldn't be telling him she preferred the hotel as well.

They left first thing in the morning, Noctis falling asleep with his head in Hermione's lap and Hermione trying to nap with Gladio's arm around her. The night had been rough for her and Noctis. He'd kept waking up every ten minutes from headaches that didn't want to leave, even after he'd downed some medication, so Hermione had dragged him for a walk around town in the interest of not waking any of their companions. That had proven the wrong course of action as Ignis was a light sleeper, and had been all too ready to scold them when they'd finally made it back to their room a mere two hours before they were supposed to leave.

It was safe to say neither of the two were looking forward to the possible daemon fighting or anything else Eos wanted to throw their way today.

All too soon they parked at the service station right before the waterfall entrance. Noctis was groggy once Hermione was able to get him up, the two the last people out of the car. Prompto had taken the time to fuel up the Regalia, and Ignis was retrieving something from the trunk. He strolled over to them, handing them two small soda cans. "Drink this."

Gladio raised a brow from where he'd been leaning on the driver's door, arms crossed. "Giving them stores from your precious Ebony stash, Iggy?"

Ignis sent them a disapproving look as they gulped down the drink, both scrunching their noses in distaste. Hermione had never taken to coffee and Noctis wasn't a fan of any drink that kept him up when he wanted to sleep. "These two will be completely useless otherwise."

Hermione rolled her eyes, already feeling the effects of the chilled caffeine. "Don't be ridiculous, Ignis. While I'll admit sleep deprivation can be a serious issue, especially when sensory input and a focused mind is of the utmost importance in our situation, one night is not going to make much of a difference."

Noctis choked on the last of his drink, tossing his can in the trash before tugging Hermione away from the others. "Let's not make Specs angry, alright?"

Hermione frowned. "Why would he get angry? Everything I just said is fact. He appreciates facts." They were getting farther from the group, but Hermione was still able to make out an angry voice saying ' _They what?'_ before the stomping sound of boots came their way. "Bugger. Let's go before your Shield tears a new one into us."

They hurried down the stairs, jogging down the dirt path until they were sure Gladio wasn't pursuing them. Hermione looked to make sure they were out of sight before turning back around. She made a small noise as she bumped into Noctis, the prince having stopped just before a large clearing. Hermione looked around him, seeing a huge snake up ahead, slithering around the area.

She murmured, "Do you think we can avoid it?"

Noctis nodded. "I think it won't notice us if we go through the trees and rocks down this side. Text Specs so they know to do the same."

Hermione did as he asked, sending the quick message to Ignis before following Noctis. She felt a small twinge at her temples just as Noctis clutched his head in pain, overbalancing and falling into the snake's territory. The snake whipped its head around, its massive body rearing up and then disappearing under the ground.

Hermione jumped down beside Noctis, eyes frantically searching for any sign of the snake coming back up. Noctis was still clutching his head, crouching in a ball to try and stave off whatever pain he was feeling. She felt a faint rumble beneath her, the sound coming closer faster than normal. Cursing as she realized what it was, Hermione crouched over Noctis, pulling him on top of her right as the snake broke through the ground and threw them in the air. She grit her teeth as pain assaulted her, quickly apparating to the other side of the clearing.

Noctis bent over, still on the ground, and threw up the contents of his stomach. The pain was still there, Hermione fearing she'd splinched herself until she prodded her back and realized one of the snake's teeth must have pierced her side when it threw them in the air. Her hand came back red, trickles of blood running down her waist under her pants. "Bugger it all. Ignis is going to throw this in my face."

Noctis forced himself to his feet, face pale after the attack on his mind and the subsequent vomiting episode. "I feel like I've been squeezed through a small tube. _What was that?_ " He looked at her bloody hand. "You're hurt. This is bad. That thing can poison with its bite."

Great. Bloody great. "Ignis will have an antidote just in case." The snake let out a shriek as it barreled towards them, its head rearing up into striking position. Hermione brought up her barrier to block its strike, Noctis summoning his preferred sword. The snake's head struck, mouth wide with fangs on full display. A black shield intercepted the attack, forcing the snake's head back before the metal struck it across its mouth. A fang dislodged from the snake's mouth from the force of the blow, the reptile shrieking in pain and retreating a couple of feet from them.

Gladio sent Noctis and Hermione a scathing look. "Stop going off on your own," he barked at them.

Ignis and Prompto ran to them, the trio surrounding the two. Ignis zeroed in on her hand and Noctis' pale face. "Did it bite either of you?"

Noctis shook his head. "Not me. Another headache."

"I'll be fine," Hermione said curtly. In truth, the slightest movement pulled on the wound, making it burn, but she wasn't going to say anything until that thing had been taken care of. "What element works on this?"

Ignis eyed her before saying, "Ice is best. We must be near its nest."

"Enough chatting, more killing." Noctis warped to the snake, striking at its side before warping to the top of its head and delivering another blow. Gladio followed him in, using his greatsword to pin its tail to the ground. Prompto used two guns to shoot at it from afar while Ignis chilled his daggers and calculated the best position to attack.

The serpent ripped its tale from Gladio's sword, not seeming to mind the hole it now sported or the blood that flowed to the ground. It curled itself around Gladio, ignoring everyone else as it slowly squeezed a struggling Gladio. Hermione made to run to him, but Ignis held her back. "I have a plan."

Hermione listened impatiently, noticing with relief that Noctis was able to free Gladio from the snake's grip. She nodded and took the magic flask from Ignis, biding her time until they gave her an opening.

Ignis shot forward, stabbing at the snake with precise movements and jumping back when it tried to bite him. He repeated the process; stab, slash, jump back, until the snake reared its head in frustration.

Hermione warped to the snakes mouth, landing on its head. Acting quickly before it could throw her off, she threw the magic flask down the throat of the serpent, adding a few more orbs of ice for good measure. The snake screamed, tossing its head to throw her off. She threw the dagger next to Prompto, landing just behind him before she could hit the ground.

The magic flask exploded, the snake's skin exploding from the inside out. Blood and guts spilled around Noctis and Gladio, the two closest to the dying reptile. What was left of the serpent landed on the ground, its reptilian eyes clouding over in death.

Ignis approached Hermione. "That went exactly as expected. Flawless execution." He twirled a finger. "Now let me see where you were bitten."

Here it comes. She turned her back to him, lifting her jacket and shirt to reveal the bite on her side. Her internal healing had kicked in during the fight, the blood nothing but a dribble and the wound slowly closing. Ignis shook his head. "Cor instructed you not to use your healing power."

Hermione shrugged. "Cor's not my handler. Besides, this happened by itself. It happens with smaller wounds like this. I wasn't poisoned, or I'm sure the healing wouldn't have kicked in."

"That's true," Noctis said as he walked up to them. Gladio was behind him. They were both covered in snake bits, the smell making Hermione gag. "I didn't realize that was a healing thing, but it happens with me too."

Hermione swiveled around to face him. "Noct, that's great! That means access to more of your magic is not as suppressed as I thought it was." Perhaps it was only the active abilities? Excluding warping. It was a plausible theory.

Ignis cleared his throat, seeing they were getting off topic. "Be that as it may, it would put my mind at ease if you took an antidote. We are about to enter a cave with a rumored daemon that sounds like no easy foe. The effects of poison making themselves known once we're in there is _not_ an option."

Hermione bit back a groan of protest. "Fine, give it here." They weren't the nicest tasting liquids she'd ingested.

Ignis watched her down the vial, making a clicking sound with his tongue when her face puckered in disgust. "I'm sure this won't happen again if you make sure to get the proper amount of sleep."

She _knew_ it.

* * *

Making Gladio and Noctis wash up near the waterfall before entering the cave had been a bad idea.

Ice covered every inch of the grotto, the temperature dropping as soon as they entered, Prompto being the most affected after Noctis and Gladio. "Looking on the bright side, maybe the cold keeps the daemons at bay?" He didn't sound too hopeful.

"Yeah," Gladio said dryly. "Because monster's like warmth."

"Ah," Prompto replied. "Sarcasm. But what if they're frozen?"

"Encased in ice," Gladio said slowly, fake wonder in his voice. "Waiting for something warm to pass by."

"Mione," Prompto whined. "Your boyfriend's being mean to me."

Hermione blushed at the term. They hadn't sat down and discussed what they were though she was sure that exclusivity was what each was aiming for. She pressed onward, hoping no one noticed her flushed cheeks. "You're both ridiculous."

They were attacked by flan-like daemons not long after. Imps came after that. Then there was the humanoid daemon who knew how to fight, and they had the misfortune to encounter not one, not two, but _three_ giant female spiders the more they went down. The slip and slide game they played in the cavern was also wearing on everyone's nerves. It was a fast way to explore the cave, but the seeping cold only seemed to worsen the farther down they went.

Noctis had taken the lead, but it was clear after encountering the same dead end for the third time that he had no idea where he was going. Ignis said slowly, "Noct, if I may-"

"Don't ask," he growled out.

Gladio nodded. "Yep. We're lost."

Noctis groaned, "Don't answer."

Prompto waited until they'd ended up in a familiar looking part of the cave. They'd already been there. "Don't know where we came from. Don't know where we're going."

Hermione stayed silent. If she thought she could get away with it, she would summon her wand and use a 'point me' spell. She was half tempted to try if it meant leaving this place faster. Her warming charms were not lasting on anyone.

Noctis hissed, breathing becoming erratic, and lost his balance. The four lunged for him, but he'd been too far away and he fell off the slick patch of ice they'd been crossing. "Noct!" Ignis yelled, rare panic in his eyes as they scrambled to see where he'd gone.

They could see him, curled on his side, blood seeping through his pants where a shard of ice poked out from his thigh. He was writhing in agony, not seeming to notice the wound as he pulled at his hair.

Damn the Archaean, Hermione thought. The Titan was going to get Noctis killed.

Gladio jumped down, his body landing on bent legs, the big guy shaking off whatever shock traveled through them after such a lengthy fall. He stood in a defensive position over Noctis, face set in hard lines as he looked at something in front of him.

Hermione saw what he was looking at a moment later. Imps, flan, and smaller spiders were heading towards to duo. Ignis grabbed her arm, bringing her attention to him. "Get down there, heal Noct. We'll be down as soon as we can."

She nodded, apparating next to Noctis. Gladio didn't spare her a glace; his eyes focused on the oncoming daemon horde. Hermione bit her lip, able to see the extent of the wound for the first time. The icy spear had impaled his thigh. Noctis was still straining against a headache, the constant moving agitating the injury. Silently apologizing, Hermione sent a quick _Stupefy_ at him. It worked, his body stilling, hands falling limply by his head.

Reminding herself it had been a necessary precaution, Hermione considered what to do next. Normally, removing the impaled object was the wrong thing to do. She felt she needed to adhere to that bit of procedure. The spike was a part of the ground. She would have to break the icicle before attempting to take it out of his leg. Merlin, what if he'd hit an artery? The pool of blood beneath him was big enough as it was.

There was fighting going on near them. She could hear the grunts and shrieks, the slices of blades and whizzing of bullets. A brief strike of lighting hit a pillar just a bit beyond her. An Arachne had joined the fight.

Praying what she had in mind worked, Hermione focused all her attention on the spear of ice. It slowly started to disintegrate, the ice shrinking until Hermione could no longer see it. She flung out her hand, casting a stasis spell on his wound to stop the new spurt of blood that started to gush out. She kept the disintegration of the ice going until she heard the frozen ground beneath them crack. Satisfied that no frozen water remained in Noctis' leg, Hermione removed the stasis spell and thrust her hands onto the wound. The magic was waiting for her call, rushing forth and closing the gaping mess that was Noctis' lower limb.

The relief choked her, Hermione unable to concentrate on anything other than the knitting flesh and repairing tissue.

Scuttling above her disturbed the relief, fear taking its place. Looking up, she screamed in terror as two more Arachne grinned down at her. She hastily built a barrier, her panic fueling the power she put into it until it resembled solid blurred glass and not the tile-like dome she was used to. Footsteps ran to them from her side, metal and boots coming into contact with her shield.

Using her barrier, Gladio and Ignis stepped on it, jumping into the air. They swung their greatsword and lance in an upward strike, twisting mid-swing to hit their respective targets. The Arachne screamed in pain, their forms disappearing in a cloud of black smoke. They landed next to her, Gladio giving them a once-over before returning to finish off the last of the daemons.

She let her shield fall so that Ignis could kneel beside Noctis. "Will he be alright?"

Hermione hesitated. "Physically, he'll be alright, sore after a wound like that. Mentally is another question. The Archaean is trying to contact him, I'm certain."

Ignis nodded. "Yes, I came to that conclusion as well. We'll have to visit the Meteor." He looked at her. "Is Titan trying to gain your attention as well?"

Hermione shook her head. "Other than the first time when we reached Lestallum, I've only felt slight pressure here and there. His target is the prince. There will be more incidents like this if he doesn't stop."

Ignis' lip quirked into a ghost of a smirk. "I fear trying to argue with Archaean is a futile effort." They turned as Gladio grunted in pain. More Imps had come out of nowhere, one of their floaters hitting him. "Wake the prince and get him away from this area." He ran to assist the guys.

Hermione crawled to Noctis' head, sitting cross-legged and pulling him onto her lap. She moved his bangs from his forehead, whispering, "Rennervate."

She expected Noctis to open his eyes, maybe be a bit groggy. She gasped as his eyes flung open, body straining with pain. His pupils were red, the blue she was so accustomed to gone. She cupped his cheeks with her hands, lowering her forehead until it touched his. Looking into the red eyes, she begged, "Please, leave him be. We'll come see you. You can't keep doing this to him!"

There was no change, only the whimper that came from Noctis.

"Damn you," she spoke furiously. "He's just a boy. Stop torturing him like this! You're going to get him killed!" She kept her eyes locked on his. "Noctis, fight through this. Just listen to my voice and come back."

When nothing happened, Hermione grew desperate. Why was he holding him hostage like this? Could she have done something when she stunned him? Thinking fast, Hermione came to a solution but almost rejected it immediately. Hadn't they told her she was too volatile to be a master in Occlumency? The mind healing procedure she had read about required the Healer be a master in both Occlumency and Legilimency. There were risks. She could be lost in his mind, never come back out, but what choice did she have? The Astral wasn't letting up. Noctis still hadn't found the royal arm in this cave, and despite all the daemons they'd faced, none had been like the one Talcott had described.

Mind made up, she spoke softly. "Let me in, Noct. Don't fight me. It's just Mione. _Animus Anima_."

 _She was in the throne room at the Citadel. It was elaborate, gleaming tile and stairs leading to a throne surrounded by golden statues. She ran up the stairs, eyes only for the figure that was sitting on the throne._

 _From far away, it looked like Noctis was slouching in his seat, but up close Hermione could see the chains the wrapped around him, holding him there. His eyes were defeated, the life that sparked in him even when he played nonchalant erased. Making a noise of distress at the sight, Hermione tugged at them, dropping to her knees so that she could look into his eyes. There was no recognition, no sound of greeting. He just stared at the ground vacantly._

 _Feeling a presence behind her, Hermione turned, falling onto her butt when she was greeted by the angry red eyes of the Archaean. His head was the only part of him visible, the throne room falling into a black fog. She glared at him. "Let him go."_

 _He opened his mouth, a range of notes leaving in an angry roar. She slapped her hands over her ears at the assault, unable to understand. A voice spoke from behind her. "He says my son is weak."_

 _Hermione whipped her head around, the voice familiar. King Regis was standing by Noctis, his expression solemn. "He's not," Hermione found herself saying. "Noctis is handling the situation he's been thrown into the best he can."_

 _Regis looked down at his son. "I never wanted this burden to fall to him, yet it was predestined. What father doesn't want to see their child happy? Instead, I must watch as he gives up his life."_

 _Hermione went cold; despair colored her tone. "What are you talking about? I'm going to get him out of this. He will not die here."_

 _Regis didn't look up. "You know what the Prophecy says."_

 _Hermione shook her head, confused, but Titan roared again. She faced the Astral, ire building. "You are the one weakening him! He almost died because you keep shoving your presence into his head when he needs to be focused! I know you're doing it on purpose!"_

" _Better a weak King die than the Astral's waste their time."_

 _She knew they were not the King's words even if they came from his mouth. "He is your chosen! The Starscourge is a product of the God's creation, and you've picked a family that has to clean up a mess you all created! You cannot judge him based on what you think you see!"_

" _There is another who can take his place."_

 _Hermione shook her head fiercely. "He's the last of his line; there is no other." The Archaean was stubborn, she knew, volatile. She needed to calm down. Continuing to yell at him would only anger the Astral._

 _She drew herself up, grabbing one of Noctis' chained hands with her own. She saw King Regis reach for the other. They faced Titan, her tone reasonable even if her body was taut. "He is trying. He was not prepared, but that does not make him weak. He will prove his worth to you when we go to where you sleep, I swear it, but right now he needs to be set free. I am begging you to give him a chance."_

 _The Archaean stared at her unblinking. Hermione did not break eye contact, determined that the Astral see sense. Finally, with one last angry roar, he disappeared in shimmering light. Hermione sagged in relief, the chains falling easily at her insistent pulls. Regis stepped back, eyes on the two of them. "Titan is not patient, and you have made him angry. Take care Noctis fulfills the promise you made for him."_

 _Hermione paid him no mind, willing Noctis to lose the deadened look that had taken over his features. When there was, at last, a spark of life, Hermione turned her attention to herself. She willed her mind to leave. Noctis confusion was apparent as he seemed to come back fully. "Dad…Mione…what…"_

Hermione came back to herself, distantly aware that the guys were surrounding them. The fighting was over, the smell of charred flesh concerning her. Noctis' eyes were slowly clearing, the blue hue she loved overcoming the red. He blinked as he saw her, brow furrowing at feeling her forehead pressed to his. "Did you know your eyes are red?"

"Are they?" She felt the same consistent pressure from earlier increase a bit and knew the Archaean was not gone. _Titan is not patient, and you have made him angry._ The King's words replayed in her mind. She lifted her head. "Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm tired," he whispered. "Can we make camp?"

Ignis knelt down next to them. "There is no place here to make camp. Our best chance is to retrieve the royal arm lest we have to brave this place form the beginning by leaving now."

Noctis nodded in resignation. "I'm going to need a potion." He sat up, looking at his group. "What happened?"

Ignis handed over the correct bottles, giving the same to Hermione with a silent look. There was something in his eyes that made her wary. They were calculating, the same expression that crossed his face when he was trying to figure something out. It usually didn't take him long either. "You fell off a considerable height, and were in need of healing."

Noctis groaned, standing. "That's not cool. I'm done with ice, I really am."

Gladio held out a hand to Hermione, pulling her to her feet as the others moved off. He placed a hand on her chin, tilting her face up to meet his. "Your eyes are still red. Normally it fades just as quickly as it comes. What happened?"

Hermione cocked her head in confusion. "What do you mean? Has this happened before?"

His eyes narrowed. "When we first met you, it was a toss-up whether your eyes would be brown or red. Mostly when we were fighting."

"Oh," she frowned. "Well, that's interesting." She gave him a small smile. "We need to catch up with the others. The sooner we unlock this tomb, the faster we can get Noct to the Archaean."

They set off, Gladio grunting, "Ignis filled me in. Damn Astral is making my job a hell of a lot harder than it needs to be."

"The worse part is I don't think he's done," Hermione commiserated.

They found their way to the tomb, needing to cross a thin ledge to do so. Hermione felt the same undercurrent of magic from earlier from the right of the area they'd found themselves in. She guessed it was another seal, her curiosity if the magic came from the same witch or wizard pulling her in that direction.

The air froze, icy pinpricks burning her from the inside. She gulped in air instinctively, regretting it instantly as her lungs seemed to freeze. Her airway constricted, sending her to the ground on her knees, her hands clutching at her throat. She lifted her head, the task almost impossible. Her friends were suffering the same fate. Blood trickled from the corner of Prompto's mouth, his hands struggling to lift the gun that had fallen to the ground.

How had they not noticed the white fog that surrounded them?

In front of Noctis floated a half man, half tentacle creature. Accents of gold littered its body, the cover of some type of armor covering its top half, but there was nothing human about the daemon. Like the Arachne, this daemon bore some features of a person but the tentacles that formed its beard disguised those characteristics. One of its hands was glowing a bright purple.

A dagger sailed through the air, pierced the purple appendage and pinned it to the icy rock behind it.

The ice attack stopped, the fog dissipating just as fast as it appeared. Hermione scrambled to Prompto, her lungs still burning from the shock of cold she'd breathed in. He was struggling to breathe, his hands clutching his chest frantically. Ignis stopped her before she could heal him, pouring a potion down his throat instead. "Conserve your energy. The fight is not over."

He was right. The daemon had ripped its hand from the wall, Ignis' dagger stuck in the ice. It raised its hand, the brightly colored glow emanating. Hermione turned as she felt the hair at the back of her neck stand up, freezing in shock. General Glauca was there, and his sword was mercilessly sliding through Noctis' chest. She watched as the light left his eyes, head lolling to the side. The general wrenched the sword back, the prince's body plopping to the ground with a final thud.

Hermione saw red.

Warping with a scream of fury and heartache, the general stopped her blow with his sword, pushing her back. She gave him no chance to attack, sending a powerful streak of lightning his way. It hit his armor dead center, his body flying back and hitting the ice with a pained grunt. She warped, aiming for the opening between his chest plate and neck. Then Loqui was there, holding her back and shouting in his annoying voice.

Noctis watched in shock as Hermione went toe to toe with Gladio, his sister doing her best to cause them both harm. Her eyes were still red, but they had clouded over, only the faintest of color showing through. His chest ached where her lightning strike had connected, muscles still twitching from the aftershocks. Gladio was trying not to hurt her, but she wasn't making it easy. Tears were streaming down her face as she attacked. His eyes widened, warping away just in time to dodge another spell she got past Gladio.

Ignis would know what to do. Noctis looked around, eyes stopping at the blonde figure kneeling on the ground. Her arms were wrapped around her middle; body bent as if trying to shield herself. "Luna?" Noctis whispered.

His friend looked up, a pleading edge in her eyes one Noctis had never seen before. He opened his mouth, unsure what to say, but what came out was a hiss of displeasure when Ravus grabbed her arm in a tight grip. He hauled her to her feet, Luna fighting to get away. "Let her go!" Noctis shouted. Summoning the sword he'd taking from the first royal tomb, Noctis warped to Ravus, using the blade to slash at the back of his knees. The man dropped Luna, dodging before the hits could make contact.

Ignis took a moment to asses the situation, the entire battle turning into an all-out melee when they needed to concentrate on the daemon. Hermione was fighting Gladio, Noctis was going after Prompto. Both were attempting to do their perceived opponent's mortal harm. Prompto was trying not to harm Noctis, dodging the prince's warp-strikes and trying to calm him down. But Gladio… It had started off as defending, but the man was starting to go on the offensive; attacking instead of blocking, parrying with his greatsword against her Kukri's. If Hermione hadn't been so proficient with magic, he was sure Gladio would have cut her down with no mercy by now. That's when he noticed it. The three of them were blind, the iris' obscured by milky white.

And the daemon was doing nothing but floating in place, watching the proceedings.

He had done something to their minds, befuddled them until they were attacking each other. This was the daemon Talcott had mentioned, the one that kept all from the sword behind the waterfall. One of Hermione's stray lightning balls hit the daemon, the being recoiling with a shriek. His dagger had punctured a hole in the daemons hand, the wound still visible with a trail of blood to accompany it.

It took him but a minute to analyze everything, and come up with a plan.

Throwing five knives in quick succession, he pinned the daemon to the cave wall, each blade in points not so easily removable. Summoning his Spelldagger's and infusing them with lightning, he struck out at the daemon as the monster was opening its mouth. He flipped away, avoiding the icy breath that followed the daemons painful screech. Switching his daggers for a lance, Ignis jumped as far as he could with the limited area available, bringing the blade down in a crushing blow. The daemon dissolved into a puddle on the ground, the dark purple mass disappearing into the ice.

Hermione clenched her teeth as she continued her lightning assault on Loqui. He was holding her power back with a shield, but she wasn't giving up. She pushed forward, bringing the lightning ray closer and bringing the Commander to his knees.

Then it wasn't Loqui in front of her, but Gladio. He looked startled to see her, his shield slipping just an inch. Hermione panicked at the same time, throwing her hands just past his head, ending her assault even as she scorched the rock and sent pieces of it flying. Her mouth dropped open, trying to make sense of the fact she'd been attacking Gladio, and remembered what had prompted her to lose her mind in the first place. Body turning, she spied the raven-haired boy rubbing the back of his neck as Prompto pat his shoulder.

Laughing in relief, Hermione ran to Noctis and jumped into his arms. He put his arms around her in reflex, sending a startled look to the guys as she tried to suffocate him with her hug. He decided not to question it, tightening his arms around her, the comfort welcome after being tricked into attacking one of his best friends.

"What the hell happened, Iggy?" Gladio asked.

"We faced the monster in Talcott's myth," Ignis explained. "If you recall, this particular daemon is known for messing with the mind."

"That explains a lot," Hermione murmured. She stepped out of the hug, cheeks flushing from the embarrassment of having been played by a daemon. She had always been weak against attacks of the mind, the evidence in how easy it had been for Luna to Imperio her and how badly she failed at Occlumency. "I apologize if I caused any damage."

Noctis hunched his shoulders, weariness set in his features. "Are we done here? I want out of this stupid cave."

Noctis went forward without waiting for an answer, pushing the key into the opening and waiting impatiently for the doors to open. He thrust his hand out to the dual swords waiting for him. Hermione rubbed her chest when they pierced his chest, an echo of what he felt flowing through her.

She gave a passing glance at the other pathway she had intended to investigate before everything went to hell. She still wanted to check it out, but Noctis was already walking away. It was probably the same as the other she'd discovered. It wasn't like she carried the key required to open it.

She didn't realize she had fallen behind until Prompto placed a hand on her shoulder, looking at her with a slightly worried face. "Everything alright?"

Hermione gave him a reassuring smile, jogging with him to catch up to the others. "I'm fine. I'm looking forward to the heat once we make our way out."

Prompto nodded. "You're telling me. My arms are going to be permanently covered in goosebumps at this rate." He poked his skin, feeling the bumpy ridges. "I'll be surprised if no one gets sick."

She grimaced. "Don't jinx us."

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 **AN: Animus Anima basically means Mind Soul. I am by no means a language expert, so anything like that is from Google.  
**


	11. Chapter 11

**Thank you ImmerMunter, Hexenbiest, and Rydel shinigami for following/favoring this story!**

 **Reviews: Thank you for your reviews! They keep my muse going! I'm glad everyone liked the last chapter. I swear I will never get used to writing fight scenes. They are definitely the slowest pieces of the story I write.**

 **So I have edited the first chapter to add a generic trigger warning. I apologize, that should have been done when I first posted but I completely forgot this might potentially turn into a rated M story. For this chapter only, I'm going to warn that there is mention of the possiblity of rape. If even the mention of rape triggers you, please don't read the last half of this chapter. From here on out, there will be no warnings, but if you have a question about whether a specific trigger will be in the story, PM here or send me an ask on Tumblr (MWolfe13), and I'll be happy to tell you which parts to avoid.**

 **Please read my AN!**

 **Enjoy and let me know what you think in the reviews!**

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 **Chapter 11**

"Block. Twist. Step. Stab."

Hermione repeated the process over and over until Gladio was satisfied with her progress. Unfortunately, Prompto's fear hadn't been for naught. They'd left the cave to be greeted by dusk, wisely deciding to stay in the camper near their car for the night. Before dawn, Noctis had succumbed to a high fever. He couldn't hold down the soup Ignis made, and no amount of blankets could cease his shivering. The only bit of good news was he no longer suffered headaches from having an Astral trying to push into his head.

Well, good for him but bad for Hermione. During the night, the Archaean had taken to forcing his presence on her. She'd hardly gotten any sleep, the pounding at the base of her skull a steady thrum. Her eyes stayed a muddy red, a sure sign the Astral was present. Ignis was set on staying where they were until Noctis was better. She'd had to bit her lip hard enough to draw blood to keep her temper in check. It was a reasonable decision. He was in no shape to face off against Titan.

With nothing to do, Gladio had decided to pick up the training he'd been instructed to give her. He had been teaching her various hand to hand combat movements before Lestallum, enlisting Ignis in showing her how he used his body to power his strikes as they both used Daggers primarily. Hermione wasn't sure she'd ever learn how to master the acrobatics he made look so easy, but she had to admit the techniques looked cool when he and Noctis did them.

Gladio, with one of Ignis' daggers, brought the blade down in a downward arc. Hermione brought her own up to block, purposefully overestimating the angle needed so that her forearm collided with his wrist. Lowering her arm in the precise movement he'd taught her, she twisted his arm, making his body turn towards hers in an awkward position. She stepped forward with her other foot, already removing the arm she'd used to block him. Bracing her hand on his shoulder, she brought the dagger down to a spot on his upper back. "Hit."

Gladio grinned as she let him up. "Good job. That was practically textbook. All you need to remember is that you don't need to necessarily brace for your finish strike. It's a good move on your part-"

"Because I'm small and not as strong as most of my opponents." Hermione finished for him. Gladio was the type of teacher that repeated his lessons until the person he was teaching could recite the knowledge he imparted on them word for word.

"Exactly." He shifted into the attack stance again. "Let's go through the next one. Not all your enemies will be wearing helmets, so this is a good way to disable them."

He sliced downward again, but this time Hermione brought her dagger just before his wrist, the handle blocking his finish. She wrapped the blade over his wrist, effectively trapping his blade and keeping it pointed away from her. She pulled with the lock, bringing him close and fake striking his chin with the pommel. "Hit."

"Again."

They repeated the steps, but just before Hermione would have brought her pommel up, Gladio brought his free hand up to block the strike. Improvising, she acted like she was going through with the move. Instead, she arced her dagger higher and swung it down to connect with his neck. "Hit."

She let Gladio go when he indicated. "That was quick thinking," he said. Hermione noticed he was looking at her with growing heat. "I think practice is over."

Hermione vanished her dagger while Gladio set his on the small table outside the camper without looking away from her. He stepped towards her, Hermione backing up until she was blocked by the hood of the Regalia. Grinning impishly at him, she crooked her finger in a come-hither gesture. He trapped her between the car and his body, using his height to make her lean backward until her back was flush with the Regalia's hood. His hands moved to grip her hips, his face leaning down until their lips were millimeters apart. Yet, he didn't close the distance.

His eyes were roving down her face, taking in every detail. She felt a little self-conscious as he did this, knowing her imperfections all too well. Then she met his eyes, unsettled by the intensity with which he looked at her. His amber eyes were far too serious, an emotion she couldn't name all too present. No one had ever looked at her that way before. Her heart clenched, butterflies dancing in her stomach. She smiled nervously. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

His lips curved into a small smirk. "No reason." He closed the minuscule distance between them, lips softly urging hers to open. There was no hurry, their kiss relaxed and warm. He brought a hand up to caress her cheek, leaning his body further into her.

A sudden increase in the pressure in her head had her faltering, Hermione having grown accustomed to the constant irritation throughout the night. There was pain now, enough to douse the tingling sensation that Gladio triggered with the way he looked at her. Gladio looked up, confusion on his face.

Irritated that the Astral in her head was being a git, Hermione brought Gladio's face back to hers. The damn God already knew there would be no visit until Noctis was better. There was no reason to throw a fit.

Gladio took Hermione's sudden aggressiveness with ease, sweeping his tongue into her open mouth. Both his hands were back to gripping her hips, lifting her so that he could access her back, press her more firmly against him. He jerked a little when her hands tugged on his hair, her fingers clutching the strands tightly.

A little too tightly.

He pulled back, shocked to see Hermione's eyes squeezed shut. His arousal was immediately replaced by concern. She hadn't even realized he'd ended the kiss, her mouth parted and body twisting in a way that suggested she was suffering some kind of pain. He was one second away from calling Iggy. "Hermione, what's wrong?"

Hermione threw her head back, groaning at the audacity of this pain in her arse Astral. Did he have to make it feel like someone was driving a spike though her head? She opened her eyes, smiling apologetically at Gladio. "Sorry, it's just a headache."

He frowned. "The red in your eyes has completely taken over the brown." His eyes narrowed. "A headache? What, the Archaean bothering you now that Noctis is sick?"

She winced. "Something like that."

Gladio helped her sit up, bringing his arms around her in a hug. "Well," he said. "I never believed I'd ever get to say an Astral cock-blocked me before."

Hermione snorted, "You are not funny."

"Made you laugh," he disagreed.

"I don't think the King had this situation in mind when he gave us the use of the Regalia," A faintly amused voice laced with subtle reprimand spoke from behind them.

Gladio turned to face Ignis, Hermione hopping off the car. "How's Noctis?"

Ignis' face went solemn. "His fever hasn't broken, but I am sure as long as we stay put he will recover within a few days."

Hermione was sad that for all the fantastic potions Eos had to offer, a version of Pepper-Up didn't happen to be one of them. "Then we'll be staying here. Is there anything we can do? Maybe pick up some more ingredients for foods he'll eventually be able to eat?"

Ignis nodded, ripping a piece of paper out of his book and handing it to her. "That is the reason I interrupted your…training session. I also require you to take a trip to Hammerhead. Cid phoned not too long ago. The upgrades and modifications to a couple of our weapons are ready." His voiced changed, held a hint of pleading. "Take Prompto with you."

Gladio smirked. "He driving you crazy, Iggy?"

Ignis sighed, pinching his nose with two fingers. "If I have to listen to his nervous chatter for another moment, I will feed him to a pack of Coeurl's."

Hermione swallowed her grin, Gladio laughing at his friend's frustration. "Alright, we'll take him with us. Don't expect us before tomorrow."

Ignis was already headed back to the camper. "I'll inform Prompto."

Gladio took the driver's seat, Prompto graciously letting Hermione sit in front so that he could stretch out in the back. Hermione didn't mind the change in seating, one of her hands laced with Gladio's and resting in the middle. She spent the drive in light conversation with the blond, keeping her eyes closed as the steady pain in her head was causing her to have light sensitivity. The day was bright, not a cloud in sight. She supposed she should be grateful the Archaean hadn't reduced her to a sobbing mess incapable of moving, though she feared that may yet come to pass if they didn't visit him soon.

By the time they made it to Hammerhead, the sun was starting to retire for the night. Prompto's stomach growled as they exited the Regalia. "Man, I'm starved."

Gladio agreed. "Yeah, those snacks at the gas station were not enough."

Hermione said, "Why don't you order us food at Takka's, Gladio? Prompto and I will pick up the weapons from Cid. Half are for him anyways."

Prompto grew excited, bouncing on the balls of his feet as they walked to the garage. "I can't wait to see them. I bet that little gas baby I found is going to be a beauty."

Cindy was working on an old pickup when they approached, her knees covered in oil. She rolled out from under the truck when their footsteps echoed in the garage, smiling winningly as she rubbed her hands on a rag. "Howdy! You must be here for Paw-Paw. You're gonna love what he's whipped up. Took him a while to get that crossbow the way Ignis wanted it, but he loves a challenge."

Hermione had forgotten entirely about the bow. "I can't believe he actually got that thing to work. It was a rusted piece of junk when we found it."

Cindy laughed, leading them further into the garage. "That's exactly what Paw-Paw called it, a rusted piece of junk. Didn't give up though, doesn't know how to." She opened a miniature fridge, bent down to rummage through it. "Y'all want something to drink?"

"Water if you have it," Hermione replied. She looked at Prompto when he stayed silent, rolling her eyes when she saw his eyes were transfixed on Cindy's short clad bottom. She elbowed him in the side, startling him out of his trance. "Are you thirsty?"

Prompto flushed. "Yea, uh, do you have any soda?"

Drinks in hand, Cindy led them through a door in the back. The room was clearly a workshop, pieces of equipment thrown about haphazardly. Cid himself was looking though the scope of a rifle, setting it down with a grumble and grabbing a tool from the pile next to him. Cindy cleared her throat. "Paw-Paw, look what the desert dragged in."

Cid turned, his scowl deepening. "Bout time y'all got here."

Hermione made small talk with Cindy while Prompto drooled over his new weapons. There were three total; a rifle that released whatever poisonous gas Prompto loaded it with, a heavier gun with a circular container near the trigger that would hold miniature saw-like blades, and another rifle that looked like nothing special unless you had the ability to create gravity bombs that sucked your enemies into one group when deployed. Prompto happened to be able to do this, making the weapon one only useful to him.

The guys never used magic in their everyday lives, and it had never occurred to Hermione that Noctis could share his power like his father. It wasn't until she'd asked Ignis how he kept their perishables from spoiling that it clicked. She'd felt stupid for not realizing it before; they could summon their weapons after all. None used the magic in flashier ways the way Noctis and Hermione did, but Ignis was able to infuse elements into his fighting and Gladio was a _literal_ tank. He had the same self-healing capabilities that she and Noctis utilized whether he knew it or not.

Prompto, while not able to use the ability in big chunks, could create flasks like Noctis that held the spell. He'd learned to make them stronger by adding random items, a thorn from a Cactuar or a feather from a Griffon to name a couple, creating a stronger effect than what he'd started with. Hermione had been impressed the first time she'd seen a dozen Magitek troopers falling over themselves to try and escape the whirling mass of energy that sucked them to its center. Neither Hermione or Noctis were able to use gravity at all, and neither had any of the Kingsglaive as the ability had not made it into the training manuals.

Cid walked up to her, holding a familiar piece of weaponry. "Some of my finest work. Let's take it outside so I can show you how it works."

Hermione followed Cid outside the garage, the old man leading her to the back. "I have to admit; I'm amazed you were able to fix it. I was sure it was inoperable."

Cid grunted. "Rusted piece of junk was better off scraped, but I did it. Fancy boy was mighty specific on what you wanted; loads automatically, opened up the storage space so you can load hundreds of bolts. The real kicker is the element storage, had the darndest time making sure one didn't spill out into the other." He handed her the crossbow, a look of expectation on his weathered face.

Hermione held it gingerly, taking in the sleek metal and glowing containers in the back. The archery she'd performed as a child had been with a different bow, one made of wood with longer arrows. It was heavier than she imagined it'd be, Hermione able to hold it but feeling grateful that she could banish it with her other weapons when she didn't need it. Holding it up she aimed at the desert, no particular target in mind, and shot.

The bolt erupted from her bow, whistling a good bit away from them and landing in an explosion of ice. The kick from the shot sent Hermione stumbling back, her shoulder singing. Cid laughed, "Would you look at that? Damn things a beauty. Gotta be careful with that kick now lest you do something to that shoulder."

Hermione let Cid show her how to switch between cylinders, paying close attention to his instructions on how to maintain the weapon. He gave her a sword he'd finished upgrading for Noctis, the blade one Noctis had told her was given to him by his father when he came of age. It used Insomnian technology to absorb the element of its defeated foe, storing it for future use. It was quite brilliant seeing as Noctis couldn't freely use magic. Cid also gave her a lance Cor had found for Ignis, asking Cid to upgrade it before giving it to him. It absorbed power with every hit, the user able to finish off their opponent with one last strike once it was maxed.

She eventually dragged Prompto from an amused Cindy, the girls sharing a small smile as the blond continued to call out to her as Hermione pulled him to the diner. Gladio was playing on his phone, three plates waiting at their booth. Hermione slid in next to him, giving him a small grin when he automatically rested his arm on her shoulder. "Sorry, we took so long."

"No worries." Gladio put his phone down. "Ignis already knows we're staying here tonight. Unless you two signed us up for errands, we've got nothing but free time."

They eventually ended up at the camper, the boys playing a game together on their phones while Hermione curled up in Gladio's lap. She was ready to sleep; the time spent dealing with the Archaean's mood wearing her out. Not that the Astral cared. His anger and impatience were hard to keep in check, her mood taking a turn for the worse when a spike hit, her tone having a bite that warned the men with her to tread carefully until she calmed down. Gladio had forced medication on her, but it did nothing.

Sometime after midnight, they called it a night. Gladio picked up Hermione and took her to the bigger bedroom in the camper. She was drowsy, the man having massaged her scalp until she was sure she'd sleep the entire night. He peeled off her boots and socks before doing the same with himself and lying down with her. She curled into his arms, turning so that her head was resting on his upper arms.

"You know," Gladio mused as he pulled a blanket over them. "This is the first time we've slept together in a while. It's nice."

Hermione made a noise of agreement, slowly drifting off. "It is."

"Good night, Hermione."

"Good night, Gladio."

* * *

 **Ministry of Magic**

Draco Malfoy walked through the halls that led to the prisoner section of the Ministry like he had permission. No one stopped him. Perhaps they thought he had permission. Perhaps they figured he of all people would not do anything to get himself into trouble considering he'd made it his mission after the war to turn over a new leaf. Maybe they couldn't imagine why he'd be visiting one prisoner in particular considering his well known history with the victim of said prisoner. Either way, Draco was easily able to breach the wards put in place by the Golden Boy himself without so much as a dirty look.

Lovegood looked like hell was his first thought. Azkaban had not been kind to a girl Draco had hesitantly called friend. Her eyes were bruised from lack of sleep, the bleakness in her expression brought to mind a damaged puppy with no will left to fight. Her prison uniform was ill-fitting, her arms skinnier than normal. The boy who still felt guilt for her treatment at his home raged at her predicament, reminding Draco of the promise he'd made to himself that he would never let her be imprisoned again.

He squashed the boy like an ant beneath his boot. What right did she have to look so fragile, so broken? She'd taken away the only woman other than his mother and Pansy that Draco felt genuine affection for, even if said woman no longer believed it. She'd betrayed them all, destroying what was left of the Golden Trio with her deed. Weaselbee had retreated into himself, drinking his body into a stupor every night and worrying his new wife and family. Potter was no longer taking care of himself, the haggard looking man that had replaced the affable Auror only smiling when he was around his son. Luna Lovegood might not have murdered all three of them, but she'd certainly dealt a big enough blow the Wizarding World wasn't sure they'd recover from.

But then again, that was why he was here, wasn't it? Because a nosy portrait of one of his many ancestors had heard Draco and his father discussing the impossibility of Lovegood's claims and made a comment.

 _It's only considered a Death Veil, now? How sad that knowledge has fallen to the back burner._

Both living Malfoy's had tried asking the portrait for answers, but the damn ancestor was insulted at some point and left. He hadn't been back since, leaving no clue as to where he'd gone. He'd had no other option. Potter wouldn't entertain the idea that Hermione might be somewhere else, that the Veil was more than an execution device. His insistent inquires had been met by staunch refusals and even a black eye once when Potter had lost it with him in the middle of the Ministry.

Their world mourned their war heroine, those that loved her mourned her loss, but Draco wasn't accepting she was gone until her self-righteous know-it-all ghost came back to haunt him.

Luna looked up, her face curious. "I didn't expect you to come see me."

Draco glared at her, leaning his body on the wall in front of her cell. "Yes, well, in a few days you'll be shipped back to Azkaban. It had to be now, or I'd have to bribe incompetent Auror's to see you in that hell hole."

Her face went from curious to blank in a second, her eyes weary. "You've come to yell at me, too. I understand. You loved her, more than I think you're willing to admit."

He deliberately wiped his face of any expression he might have worn to her statement. He wasn't willing to discuss his feelings with the witch who'd possibly _sent_ that love somewhere inaccessible. "I haven't come to shout at you. I imagine Saint Potter is doing enough of that these days."

Her eyes lowered. "He's grieving, trying to find an explanation other than the one I've given them."

Draco shrugged, using every bit of his parent's teachings to restrain himself. She'd given him an opening faster than he'd thought she would. "Hard to believe you when the Ministry has you on tape using an Unforgivable on a war heroine and then pushing her through an execution arch. Even the Unspeakable's that know all there is to know about the Veil say you're lying."

Luna raised shrewd eyes to look at him. "But you do. You don't believe Hermione is dead."

"I don't know what to believe," Draco replied. "What I _do_ know after looking into things is there is a not enough information on the Veil. There are records on ancient monuments and relics dating back to before Merlin, but there isn't much on a magical artifact the entire Ministry was built around? I smell a cover-up, one that happened long enough ago that no one remembers."

"You would know," she murmured without any malice behind the words.

Draco shrugged again, not denying his families tendency to meddle. "I think you may be the only person who knows how to manipulate the arch. I think you are our only hope of bringing Hermione back to us. I want you to send me to her." That last statement had been a spur of the moment decision, surprising them both. Yet, Draco wouldn't take it back. Who else could go after her? Hermione was without a doubt trying to find her way back home. He could imagine her having bullied whatever government she'd had the fortune to come across into giving her all the resources she needed.

Luna shut down, drawing her knees to her chest and wrapping her thin arms around her legs. "She can't come back, not yet. She's where she needs to be."

Draco pushed off the wall, walking until he was practically on top of the cell's bars. "You have got to be kidding me. She needs to be here! Don't you get it, Lovegood? In one act of whatever delusion you've got playing in your head you have hurt so many of your friends. They will never free you! You'll be shipped back off to Azkaban once Harry tires of questioning you, and you'll never see the light of day. Your father is trying to plead with the Minister, declare you insane so they can lock you up in St. Mungo's."

Luna didn't budge, her eyes slightly unfocused as she refused to look at him. "I know the consequences of my decision. I told Daddy goodbye before visiting Hermione that last time. Azkaban or St. Mungo's, it makes no difference where I end up. I serve a greater purpose, and I do what is asked of me."

Draco went cold, his conscience pleading with him not to do it. He locked it away, ruthlessly kicking aside the uneasiness inside him. He channeled his father into his voice as he said, "Yes, I can see you are fully prepared to spend the rest of your miserable life locked up. Of course, who wouldn't when there are no longer Dementors to suck out your soul and the guards ensure you stay healthy enough to live out your sentence." His stared her down, willing the girl to look at him, to see the lengths he was willing to go to. "It would be a shame really, if they were to accidentally take you to shower at the same time as your neighbors. They don't stay you know, that's not their job. I hear Greyback is on your level, Yaxley and Rowle as well. I remember those bastards during revels, horny fuckers."

Luna paled considerably, her eyes filled with tears. Still, she said nothing. She was resolute, not faltering in the face of the threat in his words.

Draco refused to feel bad. "That's what refusing to cooperate will get you, but I can guarantee safe passage out of the country for you and your father if you send me where you sent Hermione. You say she was needed wherever she is now, right? Well, you forget that I was second only to her in Hogwarts. Two brilliant minds are better than one, don't you think?"

Luna bowed her head, fists clenching. "Do you promise not to force her back before her task is complete?"

"Only if that means she _can_ come back once she's done." He had no bloody intention of honoring that, but she didn't need to know that. If Hermione hadn't found a way back yet herself, chances were it would take him time to find one too.

As if reading his mind, Luna's head snapped up. "You won't find one. But if you're so determined to join her, I see no reason not to let you."

Stepping back, Draco fought the grin of smug satisfaction. "I'll need to prepare, but it shouldn't take more than a few days."

Luna didn't reply, giving him her back as she turned to face the wall. He shrugged, leaving the same way he came, careful to reset the wards he'd taken down. His mind was full of things he needed to accomplish before he came back for her. His father still had contacts that could get him certain things one needed for a hideaway; an untraceable Portkey, a house protected by the Fidelius Charm, new identities. He was thinking America would be the safest for them. The country was so big a couple of Wizards could lose themselves without ever being discovered. He'd need to talk to her father, of course. The bloody man was at the Ministry every day, hounding any Wizengamot member he could corner until they called the Auror's to escort him out. It would suspicious if the man just stopped, but by the time the Ministry realized their prisoner had escaped, they should be long gone.

Draco was so involved with his plans, he didn't realize someone else was walking in his direction until they collided with each other. He scowled as he barely caught himself before he fell to the floor. Who the bloody hell-

Potter was scowling at him, picking up his glasses from where they'd fallen off his face. The Boy-Who-Wouldn't-Die looked like hell, several days worth of beard engulfed his face. His Ministry robes were wrinkled, his eyes dead. Draco swore he could count the bags. "What brings you to the Ministry, Malfoy?"

Draco shrugged, not needing to work to put on the sneer that crossed his face. The man was a respected Auror for Merlin's sake. "Just needed to take care of some business."

Potter nodded, not rising to the bait. Draco's vague answers always seemed to irritate him, but the man was already moving away. Draco watched him leave, shaking his head in pity. Poor sod was going to need to pull himself together before he made a mistake that forced the Minister to fire him. Of course, once he brought Hermione back, things would return to normal.

It took him the rest of the week to arrange everything. His parents had pleaded with him, his mother, in particular, begging him not to stay this course. He understood their concerns, but it was something he had to do. They didn't understand the guilt, the need, he had to see this through. The never-ending pit in his gut that manifested when he first heard the news in the Daily Prophet. He didn't tell them any details, understanding that once they connected Lovegood's escape to him, they'd be kicking in the manor doors.

His father said nothing as he packed the backpack he'd gotten when he first entertained the idea of going on the run. He hadn't used it then, though he'd kept it packed and ready. His father would never have abandoned the Manor, and his mother would never have left his father. It was during his relationship with Hermione that he'd finally unpacked it, Hermione sitting next to him with her worn beaded bag, emptying it like some kind of ritual that was supposed to make them feel better afterward.

It was ironic that he was putting it to use to chase after her.

Draco chose to leave in the middle of the night. Only a skeleton staff was present after midnight. Lovegood's father was already waiting at a safe house in America, papers in order and prepared not even to make a blip on MACUSA's radar. He'd said his goodbyes to his parents, his mother already grieving. She didn't believe he would come back, but Draco had to believe he would. He had to believe that Granger was just having trouble finding her way home.

He wouldn't believe the alternative, was willing to risk his own existence to prove it.

Lucius Malfoy laid a hand on his son's shoulder for what might be the last time. He spoke quietly, the imploring tone betraying his calm facade. "You do what you need to do, but remember your duty as a Malfoy. Our line dies with you, son."

Draco nodded his understanding, apparating to the sound of his mother's heartbroken cry.

As he predicted, the Ministry was nearly empty, the guard at the Visitor's entrance asleep at his post. It was to Draco's benefit that the man was slacking off, there would be no record of his arrival. He slipped through the corridors, taking the rarely used stairs instead of the elevator. He disillusioned himself before entering the DMLE, silencing his shoes as an extra precaution.

Potter was sitting in his office, eyes on a stack of papers on his desk. Draco held his breath until he was well away from the man. The-Boy-Who-Lived hadn't received his reputation as damn good Auror without having good instincts.

Luna was staring at the walls, a faraway look on her face when he removed his cover. She didn't jump, slowly coming back to wherever her mind had taken her. "I thought you'd changed your mind," she whispered.

Draco soundproofed the area, pointing his wand at the bars of her cell. "Not a chance. Stand back." He whipped his wand toward the lock, casting a silent Bombarda. The door exploded inward, chunks of the lock flying off in its destruction. He glanced at the door to the holding cells in slight trepidation, breathing a sigh a relief when there was no sound of pounding feet.

Luna stepped out of her prison, looking at the bit of metal with little interest. "An unlocking charm would have sufficed."

Draco shrugged, waving his wand to redo the disillusionment and adding one over Luna. "Could have, but I didn't want to waste time finding out."

They were halfway to the stairs when a Caterwauling Charm went off, the hideous shrieking echoing throughout the Ministry. His charms slipped away, leaving them exposed.

Draco cursed, steering Luna away from his chosen escape route and pushed her into the elevator, calling out, "Department of Mysteries!" The elevator zoomed away just before a stampede of Auror's reached them, Potter's furious gaze meeting his.

He let Luna guide him once the stepped out, his wand up and ready to deflect any spells that came their way. He had planned to stay almost invisible for as long as they could, his back up plan to take out the cameras if the charm fell. Now, he didn't care who saw them. Harry had already gotten a good look at his face. There was no turning back. He sent a quick apology for the shit storm his parents were about to face. He could only hope the Ministry believed them when they informed them they had no knowledge of his plans other than he was going to search for Hermione.

"Malfoy!"

Draco didn't bother to turn around, grabbing Luna's hand and running faster. The Chamber was in plain sight, the Veil the only source of light in the circular room. Draco let go of Luna, turned and raised his wand. "Do what you need to do! I'll block their entry."

Harry, along with two other Auror's, were brought up short by Draco's strongest shield charm. The Auror's had their wands raised, waiting for the order to bring down the barrier. Harry was seething, his tone betraying that anger as he said, "Drop the shield, Malfoy. I don't know what you're thinking, but don't think I'm not afraid to hurt you to get through. She's a criminal!"

"She's also the only hope we have of getting Hermione back!" Draco shouted at him. Lovegood was in a trance, her body swaying side to side as she hummed a melody he'd never heard before. She needed all the time he could give her. "Don't you want to know if it's possible? She could still be out there!"

Harry lost whatever composure he had left, banging his wand-free hand on the shield. It weakened a bit, the anger of his emotions leaking out into wandless magic. "Of course I want her back! She was my best friend, the only one who has always stood by me! But it's impossible, Malfoy. There is no coming back from the Veil. Don't you think she could have found a way back by now if she could?"

Lovegood needed to hurry up. "What if she can't? We don't know where she ended up. There's a good possibility she needs help figuring things out, especially if there's no archway wherever she's at!"

Harry's shoulders slumped, his eyes closing briefly before opening them again. His expression was cold, Auror Potter now staring back at him. They were out of time. "If you go through that curtain, you'll die. That's fine with me, I can't stop you, but Luna can't escape. By attempting to flee Ministry justice, she is now a fugitive of the law and you'll be held accountable for aiding her release." He raised his wand. "Bring it down."

Draco brought up his other hand, using both palm and wand to funnel all the magic he could into keeping the shield up. They weren't making it easy, bastard Auror's. Their spells were absorbed into his shield, the damage from the powerful spells being thrown his way damaging the defense faster than he could repair.

"It's done."

So focused on keeping the wizards out of the Death Chamber, Draco jumped when Luna tapped him on the shoulder. He narrowed his eyes, noticing nothing different with the Veil. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," she said. "You'll go to her. There's no guarantee you'll make it back."

Draco nodded his understanding, bringing down a hand to dig into his trouser pocket. Potter was shouting spells, his voice frantic and magic flaring as he lost control once again. Draco pulled out an empty soda can, pushed it into Luna's hands and said, "Ashwinder."

She disappeared with the Portkey, Draco wincing at one particular Auror's cry of rage. His shield broke then, the force of its defeat knocking him closer to the Arch. He managed to keep his footing, sending a couple of stunners at the Auror's to make them dodge. He had no time to think, no chance to question. Grabbing a tight hold of his backpack, he ran to the Veil, passing through the curtain just as a cutting curse sliced his legs.

He was falling, that much he was sure about. Darkness surrounded him, no light source in sight. He closed his eyes in fear. Was he dead? Had Lovegood been lying the entire time after all? His descent was silent save for his own harsh breathing. His legs pained him, the source somewhere on the back of his calves. He was sure they'd meant to incapacitate him, stop him from escaping after taking Lovegood out of their reach.

His mind felt heavy, unconsciousness offering a sweet release from the terror of his situation. Draco accepted gratefully; sure he would wake in the afterlife. There was no hope left in him. He'd gambled everything on a single phrase uttered by one of his ancestors and lost.

When he did wake, he was starring at the shooting end of a long gun. The pain in his legs had increased, oozy stickiness telling him his cut had not sealed. Draco reached for his wand, but the wood was nowhere near him, and three other guns pointed at him as he was surrounded. He couldn't feel his backpack on him either. Fuck.

Draco put his hands up in front of him, palms out to symbolize he wasn't going to do anything. "I need medical attention." The guns were being held by people in metal suits, not an inch of skin visible.

One of the metal suits shifted out of the way, revealing a man in golden armor, his hair only slightly darker. He was holding Draco's wand and backpack, twirling the wood between his fingers. "Were you looking for this?"

Draco knew how to read people. The lesson had been drummed into him from the very first time other families of the Sacred 28 had tried to create ties to his name by pushing their children to become his friends. The gleam in his man's eye was unfriendly despite the nonthreatening tone. From what Draco could see, they were in a desert of some sorts. Lovegood had told him he would be taken to Hermione, and she hadn't lied about the Veil. Sweet Salazar, the Archway of Death really was a portal to another dimension.

His mind raced with questions as to the implications of such a discovery, the knowledge that this information had been erased from their history, but his priority was to find Hermione. He said, "I don't want any trouble. I'm looking for a woman. She's of average height, has wild brown hair, and a slender build. Her name is Hermione."

Something sparked in the golden-haired man's eyes. He zeroed in on Draco. "You know Hermione?"

Warning bells went off in his head, but this man spoke of Granger like he was familiar with her. He nodded. "She's a friend."

The man grinned. "Excellent." He motioned to something behind him.

Pain to the back of his head was all Draco knew before everything went dark.

* * *

 **AN: Think this should be rated M now? I don't particularly think so, becuase I haven't gone graphic in anything I've written for this, but you guys decide. I'll change the rating if you ask.**

 **So I'm participating in a challenge for one of the FanFiction groups I belong to. What does this mean? Well, until October I will only be updating this story every two weeks. That means there will be no update next week. Thank you for your understanding!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Thank you Skalyann, Suzululu4moe, DemonCats, Fudanshiforever, kara reader, nyaw2468, Charlotte8184, angeles372, adelaide aya, angelxofxmine, Miss Nailia, Rattilda, kristiwildangel, and Corrupt771 for following/favoring this story!**

 **Reviews: Thank you for your reviews! They keep my muse going! Oh god, you have no idea how much I was just wondering why the hell I was writing Draco like a blabbermouth, but my muse wouldn't let me change things. Haha I thought about making Luna Harry's wife, but decided backstabbing wife might be a bit too much for him and we aren't done with Luna yet, so there's that. Who knows? My muse has come up with scenarios for this story for Harry that I keep rejecting, but might actually accept depending on how the story goes.**

 **I hope you enjoy this chapter and let me know what you think in the reviews!**

* * *

 **Chapter 12**

By the time they made their way back to Lestallum plans were being made to head straight to the Disc of Cauthess. The Archaean had abandoned their agreement to leave Noctis be, his headaches coming in spurts three days after falling sick. Hermione wished she could say that meant she was left alone, but that was not the case. The Titan was angry; they'd taken too long to get to him. She'd spent a good portion of Noctis' recovery time curled up wherever she happened to be sitting, entirely useless in helping Ignis as she was wont to do when they settled somewhere.

Ignis had expressed his worry in heading to the Astral Shard before Noctis was fully recovered, but Hermione had gotten a call from Cor informing them that the Empire had blockaded the entrance to the Disc and were gearing up for a confrontation. He was concerned with their interest in the supposed resting place of an Astral. He was of the mind they were going to try and fell him as they had the Glacian some years ago. That particular story had been a shock to Hermione. She hadn't realized regular humans could kill these deities.

It was clear they didn't have a choice in the matter. If Niflheim destroyed the Archaean, they would never find out why he wanted Noctis to come to him.

Ignis parked the Regalia in the same parking spot as last time, shutting off the engine. "I want to ensure we are sufficiently prepared before we head out. We should inform Iris we are leaving."

Noctis nodded, opening his door. "We should also tell Talcott our venture was a success."

Gladio looked down at Hermione who was resting with her eyes closed; her head tilted back on her seat. "Are you going to get out?"

Hermione shook her head. "I'll wait here. You go ahead, say goodbye to Iris and the others."

Gladio frowned. "It's hot, Hermione."

"Then roll the windows down," she snapped. She sighed as soon as she said it, opening her eyes to look at Gladio. "I'll be fine. These headaches are going to kill me faster than the heat does."

Gladio didn't budge. "You still shouldn't be alone."

She rolled her eyes. "May I remind you that I can freeze, electrocute, or set anyone on fire that decided to make trouble. Go see your sister."

Gladio left after that, making sure to roll down the windows before he did. Hermione breathed a sigh of relief, the instant quiet helping ease the throb at the base of her skull. She couldn't wait to be done with this Astral. The blockade was worrisome, but they'd find a way through it, even if Hermione had to disillusion everyone and lie about how she could do it. It was getting harder and harder to stifle her magic use. Using the elemental magic she possessed helped, but she longed to use the magic she'd been born with. She hadn't realized how much she'd come to rely on her gift until she'd practically cut herself off cold turkey.

She could feel Noctis moving past the car, his magic a familiar hum to her now. She could hear a car engine turn off, then Noctis was walking past the Regalia. Hermione frowned as she sat up. The magic was familiar, but she'd been mistaken.

It wasn't Noctis.

Curious, Hermione got out of the Regalia, zeroing on a violet-haired man disappearing to the lower levels of the town's viewpoints. The magic was no longer there. Hermione almost thought she'd imagined it; maybe her head was playing tricks on her because of the headaches. She _had_ thought it was Noctis before realizing there was a slight difference that told her it wasn't. Really, she shouldn't be thinking about potentially stalking someone minding their own business. The guys weren't going to be gone long.

Who was she kidding?

She walked down the same path as the man, keeping her eyes peeled. She briefly thought about calling Gladio but decided against it. What would she tell him? _Hey, there's a man that has a similar magical signature to Noctis, so I'm going to follow him. Don't be alarmed if you come back and find I left the car._ That would go over well.

He was at the lowest ledge, looking through a mounted viewer at the Meteor. His clothes were covered by a long dark trench coat, a fashionable black hat on top of his colored hair. Hermione stopped a few feet from him, noticing the printed shawl that covered one side of his back. She sucked in a breath as she felt it again. There was magic, similar to Noctis yet not. There was something different about it, Hermione couldn't pinpoint what.

"How curious," the man said. He looked up from the viewer, turning to face her. Hermione blinked hard. For a moment she thought she saw nothing but black, but his eyes were a honeyed brown. And he was staring at her.

Her phone vibrated once, signaling she had a text message. She asked, "What's curious?"

"Oh, a great many things, my dear." He stepped forward, reaching out to grab her hand, but Hermione took a step back. The man pulled his hat off his head, sweeping low in a dramatic bow. "Forgive my manners. Ardyn, at your service."

"Hermione," she replied after a second of hesitation.

Ardyn stood tall, placing his hat back on his head. "What a pleasure, Hermione." His eyes landed on her hand, his head tipping to the side as he stared at it.

Hermione looked down, bringing her arms to fold over her chest as she realized he was staring at the ring. She cleared her throat. "My friends are waiting on me. It was a pleasure to meet you."

"Aren't nursery rhymes curious things?" Ardyn's voice stopped her from turning. "Like this one: From the deep, the Archaean calls. Yet on deaf ears, the God's tongue falls. The King made to kneel, in pain, he crawls."

Right then, Hermione stumbled as shooting pain overloaded her senses. She felt someone catch her, knew it was not her friends. She pushed away from the chest, but the effort was weak. She felt a hand on her head, fingers running over the top of her braid.

Her mind cleared, Ardyn much too close for her liking. He was staring into her eyes, his expression one of someone trying to understand something. "How interesting."

His fingers were still in her hair. Hermione struggled to keep her voice steady as she said, "You can let me up."

"Of course." He helped her stand, hands falling away once he saw she would not stumble. "Fickle beings, the Astral's. One never knows when they'll decide to play with mortals."

Hermione remembered his words before the pain hit. "How does one stop the King from crawling?"

Ardyn shrugged. "You heed the call, of course." His eyes lit up as running footsteps sounded behind them. "What a coincidence."

"I'm not so sure," Gladio responded as he wrapped one arm around Hermione and pulled her to him. Noctis came to stand beside her, Ignis and Prompto next to him.

Ardyn inclined his head. "We meet again."

"Indeed," Ignis said. "To what do we owe the pleasure?"

Ardyn sent them a charming smile. "I was just telling our dear Hermione what a pain it is that the Empire has put a halt to the sacred pilgrimage to see the Archaean."

"Yes," Ignis said carefully. "It is a shame."

"As I understand it, your group was of a mind to take such a trip yourselves." Ardyn spread his arms out in invitation. "I can take you. I have the connections to get us in."

Their group pulled back, huddled together with Gladio keeping an eye on Ardyn. Ignis looked at her. "Did you tell him our plans?"

Hermione shook her head. "No, but there was an incident, another headache."

Ignis nodded in thought. "Much the same happened to Noctis once we got to the hotel."

Hermione wrapped her arms around her abdomen, peeking out to see Ardyn watching them with his pleasant face. "There's something off about him, Ignis."

Noctis shuddered in agreement. "Yea, I don't trust him."

"We might not have a choice," Prompto said. "How else are we going to get in to see the Astral?"

"Prompto has a point," Gladio murmured. "I say we take it but watch our backs."

With everyone in agreement, they turned back to tell Ardyn their decision. Ardyn nodded. "Excellent." He held out an arm to Hermione. "Come along, dear. You can ride with me."

Hermione blinked in surprise. Noctis shook his head. "She stays with us."

Ardyn put a hand to his chest, his expression wounded. "But we were having such a stimulating conversation. I do hate to be lonely on a drive. I promise, no harm will befall the young lady." When nobody budged, he said, "Alright then, I suppose the young prince will do."

Hermione stepped away from the guys. "I don't mind. I too want to continue our conversation from earlier." She placed her hand on the crook of his arm, avoiding Gladio's glare.

Ardyn was once again all smiles. "Let's head off then. My vehicle is parked in the car lot above us. She's no Regalia, but she has served me well."

They walked towards the cars, Ignis trying to catch her eye as he sidled up next to her. "I fear you have us at a disadvantage. You know much about us, but we don't know so much as your name."

"Oh, I'm not one to stand on ceremony. But I suppose you can call me Ardyn."

Hermione was trying to remember where she had heard that name before. It was familiar, but her memory couldn't place it. They stopped by a red vintage car with a white stripe on the hood. Ardyn opened the passenger door, closing it when Hermione slid in. She gave the guys a reassuring smile, only Prompto giving her one in return.

* * *

"Your friends are a tad bit overprotective, aren't they?"

Hermione didn't look away from the side mirror, her eyes one the Regalia as it followed behind them. "Can you blame them? You are a stranger."

Ardyn chuckled, "Yet you chose to ride with me."

Better her than Noctis. "I'm curious is all."

"Oh?" he asked. "What do you want to know? Now _I'm_ curious."

Hermione shrugged. "I'm curious about all manner of things. But right now I'm trying to figure out how I know your name. It's not a common one."

Ardyn was silent for a moment, fingers thrumming on the wheel. "No, it is not. I'm afraid my name has been lost to time. The name Hermione is unique as well."

She knew a diversion when she heard it, but filed away his words to go over later. "There are a lot of unique names in this world. My friends are falling behind."

"My apologies." Ardyn slowed down a little. Hermione relaxed from her tense state once she could see Prompto in the passenger seat. Nothing was threatening about Ardyn, yet she felt slightly sick in his presence. He was all gentlemanly charm and cordial conversation, but Hermione couldn't get the sight of black eyes rimmed with gold out of her mind.

"Speaking of unique names," Ardyn said. "I find the name Draco to be particularly notable. Don't you agree?"

Hermione froze. How… There were so many questions running through her mind. Did he take Malfoy's name from her mind? She hadn't mentioned him in any way. That was the only logical solution. There was another possibility, but there was just no way Draco Malfoy was here in Eos.

Ardyn was smirking slightly. "Was it something I said?"

Hermione forced herself to calm down. Logically, she knew he couldn't be here. The only way she knew to get here from her world was through the Veil. No one would willingly go through the perceived Execution Arch.

Yet, _she_ wasn't supposed to be here and here she was.

Looking away from the Regalia, Hermione faced Ardyn. She needed to know. "Being named after dragons isn't exactly unique."

Ardyn's smirk grew. "Yes, but his coloring suggests he hails from Tenebrae. They have never been known to worship dragons, the Oracle's people."

Draco… She hadn't given him more than a passing thought since landing in Eos. If Ardyn were going to pluck any name out of her mind, it would have been Harry's or Ron's. She'd thought of them plenty. He was here. Somehow he was here. Hermione also knew that Ardyn was not aligned with Lucis, none of her group recognized him. That had to mean he was from Niflheim. If they had Draco, then they knew the two of them were acquainted.

Hermione crossed her arms over her chest, her need for answers steadily breaking the composure she'd managed to keep hold of this entire drive. "Where is he?"

"I'm afraid that's not how this works, my dear." Ardyn made another turn. "You see, the Empire is interested in you and your lovely piece of jewelry. Though I must say, it pales in comparison to the real thing."

Hermione wasn't surprised he knew the ring was a fake. There was no magic emanating from it like the actual Ring of the Lucii. Only those well acquainted with the magic of the Crystal could tell the difference. She refused to believe Ardyn didn't have magic. There was no hiding the magical signature when one knew to look for it.

Ardyn parked the car, the Regalia coming to a stop behind them. Hermione pushed the door open before he could make it to her door, slamming it shut and marching to face him. "You think you can get me to trade myself for him?"

Ardyn laughed, "No, I know those Lucian's won't allow it. He'll be released, once we get our answers. The boy is very resilient, seems to know he came across the wrong military. It's curious how his mind has yet to break. Loqui is a bloodthirsty man."

Her self-control gone, Hermione punched Ardyn in the face. His head snapped back, his expression surprised and then angry. Hermione didn't care. She moved to attack him again, but someone grabbed her from behind, large muscular arms keeping her in place. Noctis stood in front of her, Ignis trying to assess the reason for her loss of control while keeping a hand on Noctis' shoulder to restrain him.

Noctis scowled. "What did you do to her?"

Ardyn was quick to bring his anger under control, slipping a calm expression on his face. "I'm afraid it was a bit of a disagreement, that's all."

Hermione struggled against Gladio. "Let me go!"

"Calm down," He hissed in her ear. "I'm not letting you go until you can refrain from hitting him."

Hermione immediately sagged against him, biding her time. When Gladio loosened his arms, she flung herself past Ignis and Noctis. Grabbing the black trench coat by the lapels, she pulled Ardyn down until their eyes met. "Legilimens," she whispered harshly.

She was only able to see a bloodied Draco chained to a wall before she was forcefully shoved out of his mind. The force of it sent her back into Ignis, Ardyn's shocked face clear as day.

"Take her," Ignis ordered.

Gladio hefted her over his shoulder, Hermione no longer struggling as he made his way into the cluster of trees until they were out of sight. He had shoved her out. He had forced her from his mind like a well trained Occlumens. _How_ could he do that? Who was this guy?

Gladio set Hermione down, standing in front of her with his arms crossed. "What was that about?" When she didn't answer, he placed his hands on her shoulders. "Hermione, are you alright? What did he do?"

"I…" Her mind was racing, panic beginning to take over. She needed to rescue him. They would use Draco to get to her. He didn't know what was going on, wouldn't know why he was being tortured. Merlin, this had the potential to undo years worth of healing. She stepped back, turning her back on Gladio to walk further away from him. "I need to make a call."

He didn't follow her, and for that she was grateful. She had no way to explain why she'd attacked Ardyn. They wouldn't understand why she was angry. They didn't know anything about Draco Malfoy, really didn't know anything about her.

But there was one person she could go to.

She tapped her foot impatiently until the line stopped ringing. "What's wrong?" Cor asked, impatience in his voice.

She answered question for question. "How much information do you have on the comings and goings of the bases here in Lucis? The ones Niflheim have set up?"

"Why do you need to know about that," Cor demanded. "You're supposed to be headed to the Archaean."

"I need to know, Cor," Hermione stressed. "I need to know where Loqui is stationed at the moment."

Something in her voice must have told him something, because he sighed, "He's been moving from base to base. What's going on, Hermione? Did you have another encounter with him?"

"No," Hermione said absently. Cor couldn't know where Draco was at, not if Loqui wasn't sticking to one place. "Ardyn mentioned-"

"Why are you with him!" Cor shouted. Hermione pulled the phone away from her ear in shock. Cor _never_ shouted. "Hermione, answer me! Why are you with the Chancellor of Niflheim!"

"Is that who he is?" Hermione asked. "No one seems to know, and I wasn't able to learn anything while I was driving with him-"

Cor cut her off again. "You were in a _car_ with him? What is going on? Put Gladio on the phone."

Hermione hung up, having no doubt he'd just call the man in question. She couldn't sneak her way into all the bases Niflheim had set up until she found Draco. It would take too much time. He needed her to get him out now.

She thought about the number she had saved. She hadn't wanted to, feeling nothing good could come out of keeping it, but the logical side of her had demanded she keep the number. That woman would know, and if she didn't, she could find out. Breathing deeply, she called it.

Aranea picked up after the first ring. "Well, well. You are not who I expected to hear from."

Hermione bit her lip. "I wasn't expecting ever to call you either, but as it happens, I need information I think only you can get."

"Honest," Aranea laughed. "I like it. What will you give me if I get the information for you?"

Hermione closed her eyes against the sting, lip trembling. "What do you want?" Her voice cracked. She leaned her forehead against the tree trunk in front of her. "I can't pay you with money. Name your price, and I'll see what I can do."

There was a frown in Aranea's voice as she spoke. "Are you crying?"

"No," Hermione denied even as a tear slipped down her cheek.

Aranea cursed, "Don't cry, honey, come on. You'll just owe me a favor. That's nothing to cry over. You're stronger than that. You have to be, roughing it with those boys the way you do."

Hermione gave a watery laugh, and then remembered who she was talking to. She straightened from her position, turning away from the tree she'd been leaning against. Gladio was holding a phone up to his ear, eyes locked on her even as he listened to the person talking to him. She asked, "Only a favor?"

"Of course," Aranea agreed. "A favor of my choosing should I need the help. Don't worry; I won't make you turn on your friends. Now, what do you need?"

"I need you to find where Loqui is keeping a man named Draco," Hermione told her. "Niflheim is trying to extract information from him."

There was a wince in Aranea's voice. "And they're letting Loqui do it? Don't worry, sweetheart. I'll find your friend. I'll call you when I have something."

Hermione's throat closed. She never thought she'd feel gratitude towards Aranea Highwind. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it," Aranea said. "Seriously, don't. People get wind I'm exchanging favors, I'll never get paid again." She hung up.

Hermione took a moment to calm down. Highwind would find out where Draco was, and then Hermione would go after him. She watched as Gladio hung up the phone, and marched up to her. She was regretting her loss of control now more than ever. Neither Ignis or Gladio were going to let this go.

Gladio stopped in front of her; hands shoved into his pockets. "That was Cor. I just got an earful about letting you be alone with the Chancellor of Niflheim. Not that we _knew_ who this guy was."

"Makes sense that he's with the Empire," Hermione replied. "He does have the connections to get us through a Niflheim blockade."

Gladio made a noise in agreement, eyes on her face. "I'm surprised no one realized sooner. The signs were there." He paused, and then asked, "You going to tell me what caused you to lose it like that? It wasn't like you."

"No," Hermione answered. "I can't right now, but there are more important things to worry about." The response burned in her throat as it came out. At the moment, there was nothing more important than finding Draco. But she had to wait. She refused to go in blind and give Niflheim what they wanted. "The Chancellor knows the ring I wear is a fake."

"How?" Gladio asked.

Hermione shook her head. "I want the group together before I explain how he knows. It's important."

Gladio nodded once, taking out his phone to call Ignis. Hermione sat on the ground, feeling drained after the surge in her emotions. Gladio sat down next to her once he put away his phone, patting his lap in invitation. Hermione climbed on, bringing her knees up to her chest and leaning her head against his chest.

He wrapped his arms around her. "What happened back there when you touched him? I didn't hear what you said, but whatever forced you two apart was not normal."

"It was magic," Hermione said. Technically, that wasn't a lie.

Gladio didn't respond as the rest of their group appeared. Noctis was still wearing a scowl, his fists clenched in anger. Ignis' brow was furrowed, watching her as he approached, and Prompto kept looking behind them every few seconds.

Hermione waited until they'd all situated themselves on the ground before speaking. "According to Cor, Ardyn is the Chancellor of Niflheim."

Ignis sucked in a quick breath. "That is why he looked familiar the first time we encountered him. He brought the Empire's offer of peace to the King; Chancellor Ardyn Izunia of the Niflheim Empire."

Hermione looked at Noctis. "Have you felt anything from him?"

"What do you mean?" Noctis asked.

"When I followed him in Lestallum," Hermione explained. "It was because I felt the same thing I feel when you're near, only with a slight difference."

Noctis stiffened. "You can feel the Crystal's magic in him? How is that possible?"

Hermione bit her lip. "Are you telling me you can't?"

Noctis shrugged. "I haven't tried. I felt you when I picked up the first royal arm, so I was aware of the connection after that."

Prompto asked, "Is that what happened when you tried to attack him? He forced you back with magic?"

Hermione nodded slowly. That also was not technically a lie. "Yes."

Noctis shook her head. "That can't be possible, Mione. The man isn't-" He cut himself off from whatever he was going to say. "Maybe you're imagining it. We've been under constant pressure from Titan. Your mind can be playing games with you."

Hermione was sure that wasn't the case, but Noctis' set expression told her anything she said to counteract his argument would be met with staunch denial. She shrugged instead, changing the subject. "Whether that's the case or not can be debated later, I guess. What's more important is he knows I'm wearing a fake ring. His words were: 'It pales in comparison to the real thing.'"

Ignis frowned. "How would he know? No one has been able to tell the difference. It's a perfect replica."

Hermione knew the answer was the magic that clearly flowed through his veins, but she didn't bring it up again. "That's a good question. I don't think he'll say anything, though. Something tells me he has his own agenda, and letting the Empire believe I have the ring suits it."

Ignis raised a single brow at her statement. "What makes you believe that?"

His gentleman act without a care in the word was a carefully crafted facade. She had seen it when she'd struck him, the quick anger before the mask came back into play; the ability to get what he wanted without giving anything away, his flamboyant manner. He knew how to play the game, and that made him dangerous. One never knew the real agenda of someone like that, but they were holding Draco for a reason. Hermione believed it was because they thought she possessed the ring they craved. Why keep him once they realize she didn't have it?

What she told Ignis was: "You had to have noticed it. There's something about him that doesn't sit right. Niflheim should be preventing Noctis from getting to the Archaean, and it looks like they are. But he's guaranteeing a way for us to meet him? That doesn't fit with the Empire's agenda."

Noctis pursed his lips in thought. "You think it's a trap?"

Hermione laced her fingers over her knees, readjusting herself on Gladio until her back was against his chest. "I think more than ever we should be watching our backs. I wouldn't be surprised if he has a trick up his sleeve that will leave us cursing him later. His demeanor screams slimy git."

Ignis nodded. "We'll be on our guard. Speaking of out of character," Ignis said. His green eyes focused on her. "In the time I've known you, I have not seen you lose control of yourself like that when you've been of sound mind."

Hermione hunched her shoulders in embarrassment over her loss of control. He'd just never seen her at her worst before. Then his wording sparked a bit of understanding. "You think the Archaean is messing with my emotions?"

She felt Gladio move his shoulders behind her, his deep voice close to her ear as he rested his chin on her head. "Ever since the ice cave, you have been a bit more temperamental. We're not saying it wasn't a possibility you could have just lost it, but you're usually more likely to make cutting remarks instead of hitting whoever made you angry."

Prompto came to her defense. "Come on, guys. Wouldn't anyone be a little cranky if they were suffering a never-ending headache?"

Noctis added, "It could be that time of the month, and she didn't want to say anything."

Hermione deflated, the urge to groan and laugh at the same time merging the sound that came out of her mouth. "Have I really been that bad?"

Noctis and Prompto looked away from her. Ignis made a sound of noncommittal. Gladio rubbed his hands down her arms, changing the subject. "Cor said he was going to call you, Iggy. He told me we were close to another tomb."

Ignis nodded and stood from the ground. "Yes, the Hunter's have marked a spot close to Secullam Pass. Noctis can retrieve the royal arm, and then I think we'll call it a night."

Hermione saw something on his face, a slight hesitation he was quick to mask. She stood with the others, watching him. "What is it, Ignis?"

Ignis ran a hand through his hair. "The Chancellor insisted on securing our accommodations for the night."

Hermione closed her eyes. "Please don't tell me…"

Prompto sighed, "Told you she wasn't going to like it."

"I don't like it," Noctis muttered.

Gladio crossed his arms over his chest, scowling at the thought if sleeping anywhere near a Niflheim supporter. "Can't we make camp somewhere close?"

Ignis shook his head. "There are no nearby Haven's."

Hermione sighed, "Let's go get Noctis his weapon. We'll deal with this later."

The weapon turned out to be a shield. The royal tomb had been tucked into a corner of the forest, only a token number of animals in their way. Hermione had secretly hoped it was in a cave, or somewhere underground that they would have to spend all night looking for. She despised the idea of being in any vicinity near Ardyn, much less rest in the same camper as him.

Knowing they couldn't prolong their trip any longer, the group made their way back to the service station. Ardyn was sitting at the table in front of the camper, tapping away on his phone. He stood when they approached, gesturing his hands in welcome. "I trust your time away was fruitful."

Ignis inclined his head. "It was, thank you."

Hermione moved past them to head straight into the camper. She was going to head to bed early. Gladio and Ignis had already decided she and Noctis would sleep together so that Gladio could keep an eye on them both. Hermione didn't complain. They would keep Ardyn away from her, and she'd have the added benefit of sleeping sandwiched between Gladio and Noctis. It reminded her of times Hermione, and the boys would fall asleep together, her smaller body squished between theirs.

It was a happy reminder, one she desperately needed tonight.

Ardyn's hand shot out before she could open the camper door, latching onto her hand. She pulled away, but he held firm. Hermione glared up at him, even as Noctis appeared behind her. Gladio snatched her hand away, pulling her until she was next to him and Ignis. The adviser looked down at her hand briefly before saying, "Please refrain from touching her. We don't want a repeat of the assault from earlier."

Ardyn held his hands up in apology. "I beg your forgiveness, my dear. I only meant to apologize for upsetting you during our ride. It was in bad form on my part."

He didn't mean it. She could tell. His face was the perfect mask of a repentant gentleman, but his eyes were playful. Merlin, she wanted to hit him again. Better yet, she wanted to send of a flock of canaries after him. He wouldn't expect that, and it was almost worth the inquisition she would face later just to see him cry out in pain as he tried to swat the birds away.

Instead, Hermione nodded once in response and disappeared into the camper.


	13. Chapter 13

**Thank you SheiMars, Written by Leo, Faylon De Cora, Lost O'Fallon Girl, Creatus O' Spiritus, nicopop, angiforever2016, hanacureton, Electro34, basecannon, Embellina, abne, and the3littlewords for following/favoring this story!**

 **Reviews: Thank you so much for your reviews! They keep my muse going!** ** **FFnet has decided to glitch when it comes to notfications, and the like being sent to my email. I swear I never realized how much of my emails were from FF until they stopped coming in. A better way to reach me is on my tumblr, also under MWolfe13 since it might be days before I even get on this site to check PMs.  
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* * *

 **Chapter 13**

 _Hermione fought against the pain, crying uncontrollably as her back arched off the ground. This was worse than the excruciating pain the silenced spell from Dolohov had given here at the end of her 5_ _th_ _year. She hadn't thought there would be any pain worse than that, but she'd been wrong. This was worse than a thousand knives, worse than crawling over hot coals. She knew the pain would end if she just gave Bellatrix the answers she sought, but she couldn't._

" _Where did you get it?! Tell me!"_

 _Hermione shook her head as she whimpered. She already knew what was coming. Her hoarse voice screamed again as she writhed._

 _She was laying in bed next to Draco, comforting him after he'd woken her in the middle of the night with his demons. She ran a hand through his hair, taking comfort in the way he tightened his arm around her. "He used to beat me. He would Crucio me after ripping apart my mind, and then have someone who hated my father beat the shit out of me. He made my parents watch when he was angry with them. He was always angry with them…"_

" _Shh," she soothed. "He's gone, and he's never going to come back."_

 _Draco's voice was small, practically muffled against her shoulder. "I'm sorry."_

 _She kissed his forehead without stopping her ministrations. "Don't be, don't ever say you're sorry. You went through a traumatic time. No one said you have to get over it, because the bad guy is gone. If they do, you direct them to me."_

 _Draco laughed slightly at her quietly angry tone, leaning up to press a kiss to her lips. "I love you."_

 _She smiled into the kiss. "I love you too."_

 _They were standing in the kitchen in her flat, tea forgotten as Hermione sobbed on the chair. "Why are you doing this?"_

 _Draco wouldn't look at her. "I just can't anymore, Hermione. I tried, but being with you is a constant reminder of where I come from. There's this guilt inside of me that won't go away. I see you, and I think about my aunt torturing you on my drawing room floor while I stood by and watched. I hang out with your friends, and all I can remember is hearing the plans for their demise, the lengths my fellow Pureblood's were willing to go to destroy children. We were just children!"_

 _Hermione stood up, trying to reach for his hands but dropping her own when he moved back from her. "We were children, but we aren't anymore. We haven't been innocent for a long time, Draco. I can understand your guilty conscience. We both know healing is a work in progress. But are you really willing to throw away a relationship that you know can last through the trauma, because of that guilty conscience? I can give you time; we can take a step back."_

 _Draco turned away from her, walking to the front door instead of the floo. "I'm sorry, Hermione. I've made my decision. It's best you move on because I'm not going to change my mind."_

 _She collapsed to the ground in tears after he left, never questioning later how Harry and Ron knew to come over and curl up with her on her bed while she cried her heartache out._

" _Who is Hermione?"_

 _Draco glared at the golden-haired man in front of her, blood still trickling from his lip from the strike he'd received after telling them to go to hell. "Like I'm going to tell you. You're obviously no friend of hers."_

 _Pain exploded on the side of his face, his ear ringing from the force of the punch. He laughed, amused, once the pain settled enough for him to form a coherent thought. "You think you can break me? I've been through worse."_

 _Loqui smiled at him, delighted by his words. "We'll see, Draco. You'll tell me everything I want to know about the princess before we're through."_

Hermione opened her eyes, breathing harshly against the darkness of the room she was sharing with Gladio and Noctis. The snores and even breathing were a welcome sound over flesh meeting flesh. She was sweating from the heat of the room, and the natural body heat Gladio always put out. His arm was wrapped around her loosely, Noctis curled into a ball on his side. Her mind flashed to white-blonde hair, the familiar sound of his voice bravely keeping what he knew to himself, even under the threat of torture at the hands of the Empire.

She needed air.

Carefully removing Gladio's arm from around her waist, she climbed off the bed. She didn't bother to dress in her casual clothes or put on her boots as she left the room. She gave a fleeting look towards the door next to hers, longing to ambush the Chancellor and demand he tell her where Draco was. Hermione deliberately walked away, the steps she took to the camper door costing her.

The night was hot, her bare legs and feet staying warm as she walked to the Regalia. She climbed onto the hood, bringing her knees to her chest as she looked at the stars. She supposed it was inevitable she'd have a dream when her emotions had been thrown in turmoil. She hadn't dreamt about that particular night during the war for a long time. Nor had she thought about the night of her relationship ending after she'd gotten over him. She'd been so good at giving him the space he'd wanted, bringing their relationship from lovers to passing acquaintances. She was polite to his parents, expertly dodging Narcissa's pointed remarks about being embraced by the family. She'd ignored the satisfied feeling she'd gotten whenever people gossiped about him abandoning the dating scene, knowing she should wish him happy but not being able to find it in her heart to do so. She'd concentrated on her family and close friends, focused on her work and helping her coworkers make breakthroughs on their projects while carving out time to pursue her interest in campaigning for creature rights.

Was it wrong of her to feel relieved that of all people to land here in Eos after her, it was Draco? Hermione wasn't so sure she'd handle Harry or Ron being held by Niflheim. She was desperate to find him, longed to have someone from home close to her. More importantly, she wanted to keep him safe from the evil that seemed to plague him wherever he went. He was strong, he never believed so, but Hermione knew better. She just didn't know how much he could take before it became too much.

Hermione saw blond hair and bouncing footsteps out of the corner of her eye, felt the car hood plop as Prompto boosted himself up. He was dressed in his casual clothes; maroon tank top with light gray cargo pants tucked into brown combat boots and a white military style belt to match. He had a gun holster on both sides of his waist, and Hermione knew he kept loose bullets for each in the pockets of his pants. She looked at him, noticing he was wide awake. "What are you doing up?"

"I could ask you the same question," he replied. "But if you must know; Ignis wanted us to sleep in shifts so that there would be no surprises with Ardyn. He took the first, woke me about an hour ago. I've been stargazing at the top of the camper, saw you come out here like a bat out of hell."

Hermione snorted, "That's an apt way of putting it." She looked at the sky. "I just needed some air."

Prompto nodded. "I figured. Right now's a good time for it as we'll be busy tomorrow." At her surprised look, he smiled. "Come on, Mione. We all know something's bugging you. You should be happy the big guy is giving you space, and not demanding to know what Ardyn _really_ did to throw you off."

Hermione looked away, biting her lip as the guilt weighed on her. Merlin, she hated lying to them. _Hated it._ "He just surprised me is all, gave me some information I didn't realize he had."

Prompto shrugged. "Hey, I'm not going to pry. We've all got our secrets. I know that if it had the potential to fall down on us, you'd open up in a heartbeat." He bumped her shoulder affectionately. "Just know, whatever it is, we've got your back."

Hermione gave the stars a small smile, letting her head rest on his shoulder. "Thanks, Prom. That means a lot."

Prompto let his head lean against her own as he continued his stargazing. "No thanks necessary. You're one of us."

Those simple words of acceptance, the honesty in his voice, brought tears to her eyes that she didn't shed. She should be happy, elated that the men she'd come to care for accepted her in return. But she couldn't, not when she was still lying. The guilt choked her, her conscience yelling at her to come clean, begging her to bring them in on her secret before the damage was done.

She wouldn't. She knew with all her cowardly heart that she couldn't do it.

* * *

This time Hermione rode with the guys, Ignis not conceding to Ardyn's pleas about driving alone.

Hermione drove this time, needing a task to focus on so that she could keep her head in the present and not the past. The Archaean had been downright charitable this morning, his presence not even making a twinge for either of them. Ignis noted that her eyes were more brown than red now, something Hermione had been happy to learn and had thoroughly checked out in a side mirror.

They made small talk as they followed behind the Chancellor, Hermione learning that Ignis did not actually need glasses to see yet kept them to perfect his vision. It was just like him in her opinion. When he was like that, she was reminded of Percy Weasley and his obsession with being the perfect Wizard. The only difference is, Ignis wasn't a prat while Percy seemed to have a permanent stick shoved up his ass. She actually missed him, and his lectures on Ministry regulations. Who'd have thought?

They stopped at the beginning of the blockade, Hermione putting the Regalia in park. Ardyn called out to the guards, his voice cheery, "Hello? It's me! Be so kind as to open up!"

The gate opened, Ardyn watching them through his rear-view mirror. Hermione rolled her eyes in response. Did he actually think they were fooled? Ignis had been calling him Chancellor all morning. He knew they knew who he was.

Hermione moved the car forward a bit, coming to a stop just before the open gate. Ardyn gestured forward. "Your audience with divinity lies ahead."

Prompto asked, "You aren't coming with us?"

Ardyn shook his head with a smile. "I brought you to the Archaean's door. The rest is up to you."

Hermione drove carefully over the rocks, sending Cindy a mental apology for the work she was going to have to do when they went for a checkup. The blockade was suspiciously empty, no soldier in sight. The hairs on her neck stood in growing alarm. She was sure they were driving into a trap.

Hermione parked the car once they reached the remains of several archways leading to a narrow entrance the Regalia wouldn't fit through. Hermione walked up to one of the broken arches, running a finger down the stone. "Noctis," she called out. "come over here. Do you feel this?"

Noctis jogged over to her, placing his hand just above hers. "There's a tomb _here_? But the magic feels so faint."

Ignis came over to them, having heard his words. "This must have been part of a larger tomb. The royal arm more than likely resides further into the Archaean's territory."

They had Prompto wait with the car, Ignis not trusting the Empire an inch. He didn't want to come back and be uncertain as to whether the Regalia had been tampered with or not. The blond made a token protest about being left behind but happily settled in his usual seat with his camera.

The ruins were more discernible the further they walked, carvings like those on previous tombs they'd visited etched on the cracked pillars. They walked around a bend, the magic steadily growing stronger until Hermione could make out a sarcophagus in the middle of a broken circular structure. Noctis ran up to it, Gladio right behind him. Hermione hung back with Ignis, the two noticing another path that led away from the tomb.

Ignis said, "This must be the path used for the pilgrimage."

Hermione sent him a quick smile. "Looks like you'll get to do it after all."

A massive tremor shook the area, Hermione hissing as she fell to her knees. Ignis looked from her to Noctis, alarm on his face. "Quick! Get away from there!"

It was too late. The remains of the tomb crumbled, Noctis still clutching his head as he fell with the debris. Gladio jumped after him, the pair disappearing with the rocks and stone. Ignis ran to the edge where they'd fallen, breathing a sigh of relief as he saw Gladio pull Noctis up from another ledge. "Thank heavens you're alright," he called out. "Can you two get back up here?"

Noctis looked at the steep slide that separated him. "I'm sure I can warp back up, but not with Gladio. We'll find another way down. Is Hermione alright?"

Ignis looked back to check on her, freezing when he saw there was no sign of her. If he told the prince she was missing, Noctis would insist they find her before continuing forward. Making a decision, Ignis arranged his face into one of reassurance. He turned back to the two below him, nodding. "There's a path we were originally going to suggest taking. We'll meet you down there."

Ignis walked back to the path they'd discovered, looking for any clue as to what had happened to the princess. He knelt down next to an indent in the earth; the body shaped print too close to the edge for comfort. She must have fallen from here. Ignis had been too preoccupied with making sure Noctis was alright that he hadn't realized Hermione might have lost her bearing, and gone over the side. He prayed to the very Astral they were trying to get to that she had recovered her senses enough that she'd been able to warp to safety before any real damage could be done to her person.

* * *

Hermione woke with a gasp. Her wand arm was pinned under her, the growing pain starting at her shoulder and traveling down to her wrist. There was swelling from what Hermione could see, feared the limb was broken. She tried to move her weight off of it, hoping she still had mobility left. Now wasn't the time to have her dominant hand out of commission. That's when she noticed the large rock across her legs, pinning her to the hard ground.

Breathing through the pain, she aimed her left hand at the rock. It flew away from her, feeling she hadn't realized was lost returning to her lower extremities. Her pants were torn, gashes and bruises littering her calves. She was relieved when her healing magic worked its way down her body, the worst of it slowly healing. She knew it would take a while. The worse the injury, the more time it took before she was better.

But she needed to move, couldn't be a sitting duck with the Archaean waking.

Her arm was indeed broken, just the slightest movement sending sharp pains up and down the appendage. Her wrist was crushed and bruised, hand hanging uselessly. There would be no quick fix for these injuries. Eyeing the rocks around her, Hermione transfigured enough into a couple of splints, bandages, and slings. Directing the splints to where she wanted them to go, she carefully stuck them to her damaged arm, one for the upper part and one for her forearm. Then she levitated the bandages, working to tie knots that would hold in the event her sticking charms failed. Finally, she fashioned the sling until her arm was stuck to her chest. Her shoulder hurt with the movement, but Hermione would take the pain over no pain at all. She was sure that meant nerve damage.

It felt good to use her magic freely again, no one there to catch her in the act. Of course, she would have to explain how she'd gotten the needed supplies to attend to her arm but she would think of something. She couldn't leave it untreated, not when there was no potion handy to jump-start the healing process.

There was a narrow path leading down, so Hermione took it. It was slow going, sweat pouring down her body, her hair growing as it absorbed the water from her head and the steam around her. The troublesome beast had escaped her braid during her fall, the rubberband she'd used lost. Hermione didn't remember exactly what happened. One minute she'd been talking to Ignis, and then Titan had tried speaking to her. No, he'd tried yelling at her, but she couldn't understand him. She'd been too close to the edge of the path, she knew. She must have lost her balance and fallen over. She hoped everyone was alright; she could have sworn she felt tremors from an earthquake.

Speaking of tremors, she thought. The ground rumbled again, Hermione backing into the rock to keep from falling over again. Her eyes widened as she saw a big hand pass over her. The Archaean was awake.

The sound of airships filled the air. Hermione turned to look at the incoming imperial troops. Damn. She _knew_ this had been a setup. Fishing her phone out of her pocket, Hermione was relieved to see it was undamaged. Calling Ignis, she started going down again. He answered after a few moments. "I'm happy to hear from you. Where are you?"

Hermione looked around at the rocks and pits of lava here and there. "Good question, but I'm headed down. There are Niflheim airships ready to attack Titan. At least, I hope they're all there for Titan. Cor was afraid this might happen."

Ignis cursed, "I see them. Any chance you could start taking them out? Noctis and Gladio are no doubt facing the Archaean right now. We can't let them fell him before Noctis hears him out."

Hermione grimaced at her broken arm. "No. My weapon hand is out of commission. I can start hurling magic at them, but I'd like to get closer and do one big strike to take them all out if I can." Was that possible? She doubted it. She was no powerhouse.

She didn't hear what he said, her phone turning off before she'd finished speaking. She tried to turn it back on, but it wouldn't work. Titan's booming voice filled the area, his garbled speech understood by no one she was sure. Merlin, she hoped Noctis and Gladio were all right.

Hermione finally made it down to the bottom, Titan living up to his name as his full form stretched out above her. A flash of blue caught her eye as the Archaean brought his fist down. Noctis was hanging onto his fist with his sword, the prince dropping to the ground when it was safe. Where was Gladio?

The Astral raised his hand in the air, angry eyes on Noctis. Sprinting across the distance that separated them, Hermione brought her good hand up as the palm came down. Her shield shuddered against the blow, Hermione falling to her knees when her legs couldn't support her anymore. She looked at Noctis. "Where's Gladio?"

Noctis was looking at her broken arm, eyes wide. "What happened to you? You were supposed to be with Ignis."

"We were separated," she explained. Her barrier disappeared, the exertion tiring her out. The Archaean's hand had risen before her shield fell, but it was going to take another swipe at them. "Noctis, warp now!"

Noctis didn't hesitate, warping to a high point and expecting Hermione to follow him. He gaped as Hermione tried to bring up a barrier, but it failed as soon as Titan hit it. She flew to the side, loose rocks and other debris following her trail. "Damn bastard!" Noctis shouted, "I'm not gonna take any more of this crap!"

Hermione grit her teeth as she accidentally rolled onto her broken arm. Bloody buggering fuck, that hurt. She rolled away, concentrating on the fact that Noctis was now attacking Titan head on with no backup. Overhead, the imperial airships floated in the sky. She could make out troopers with long orange weapons jump out. This wasn't good.

Someone pulled her up from her uninjured side, Hermione exhaling in relief to see familiar green eyes and glasses. Ignis said, "Gladio is helping Noctis. Can you take out those airships?"

Keeping up the barrier against the Archaean had taken almost everything she had, the Astral was powerful. Hermione considered a restoration elixir but knew it was futile. She shook her head. "Conjuring a big enough storm to take them all out at once will take too much time, and that's _if_ they don't catch on and decide to target me instead. No, Noctis needs to make an impression on the Archaean, so the Astral will finally tell us what was so important."

Ignis nodded. "Then I have a plan. How much energy do you have left?"

Something in his tone told Hermione she was going to need at least a days worth of sleep after this. "What do I need to do?"

Gladio focused on targeting the weak points of the Archaean's hand. He couldn't believe the Astral was giving them so much trouble with only part of one limb. Even at their best, they were barely making a dent. Noctis was tiring, his body abused from earlier. Gladio felt a sense of failure when seeing Noctis in this state. It was his job as Shield to take the hits for him, to protect him. His father wouldn't have let things get to this point he was sure.

Ignis and Hermione ran up to them, Gladio almost doing a double take at Hermione's appearance. By the Gods, she looked terrible. And what was with her arm? Ignis said, "We need to distract him. Hit him with everything you've got."

That wouldn't be a problem. They were doing that already.

Hermione stood apart from the guys. Ignis' plan would definitely make a statement on the Archaean. Noctis will have proved his worth. All she needed to do was do her part. She couldn't fail, it wasn't an option. Ignis had slipped her an elixir before running to Noctis and Gladio. She could feel her energy building back up, but it was slow going.

The guys were doing their best to distract and annoy the Astral. Hermione couldn't wait until she thought her levels were high enough. Holding out her uninjured hand, she started at the tips of his fingers. Cold spread across Titan's nails, ice running down his fingers like a layer of frost. He didn't seem to notice, busy trying to fend off the Empire's blows as well as the sword strikes from her companions.

He started to notice when the white covered his entire hand, but by then it was too late. Hermione had frozen his hand and wrist entirely. He struggled to break the grip she had on him, tried to crack the ice holding him hostage. "Ignis!" Hermione shouted.

"Now, Noct!" Ignis instructed. "Strike where the ice ends!"

Noctis summoned his newly obtained royal arm, bringing it down where the ice stopped. The Archaean stumbled, the lower half of his forearm struck from his body. Hermione lowered her arm, exhaustion rolling off her in waves. They'd done it. Titan couldn't say Noctis hadn't proved himself. She'd be damned if he did.

Noctis jogged over to Hermione, pulling her into a quick side hug. "We did it! I thought you were a goner when he threw you like that, but I should have known better."

The ground shook, Titan's voice filling the air. Hermione screamed as her head exploded in pain, somewhat aware that Noctis was yelling at the Archaean while curling in on himself. The area lit up with a bright golden light, and then there was white across her vision.

 _The Archaean was looking down at the Princess of Tenebrae. She was dressed in a white dress, her hair the same as when they'd escaped Insomnia. In her hand was a trident, one Hermione could feel was imbued with magic. Lunafreya gave a bow of respect to the Astral, her body glowing with the same light as the Archaean. The scene faded, leaving Hermione in a world of darkness._

Hermione opened her eyes, surprised to see the Archaean no longer with them. Noctis was stumbling to her, and then he was shaking her shoulders. Hermione protested at the treatment, becoming nauseous from the pain to her broken arm, but Noctis couldn't be deterred. She finally focused on what he was saying, realizing words had been coming out of his mouth. "Did you see what I saw?"

Hermione nodded, moving away from him so that he'd let go of her shoulders. "Lunafreya with the Archaean? Yes, I saw it."

Gladio ran up to them, nudging them forward. "We need to leave. There's going to be an earthquake, and the lava pools are starting to explode."

Hermione looked around at the destroyed airships. "This is what I had in mind when Ignis asked if I could bring them down. I guess Titan read my mind."

An airship swept low to hover just in front of them, the doors opening. Hermione braced herself even as dread swept through her. She couldn't handle anymore fighting. She was at her limit, any more magic and she'd pass out. To her disgust, Ardyn appeared. He smirked at them, bowling low. "Fancy meeting you here! Imperial Chancellor Ardyn Izunia, at your service. I've come to give you aid." When no one moved, he sighed, "I guarantee your safe passage, though you're welcome to take your chances down there."

Hermione's shoulders slumped. He was right. They wouldn't make it out alive if they tried to brave this pit themselves. Ignis had come to the same conclusion. He said, "Dying is not an option. We have no choice."

They reluctantly boarded the Niflheim airship. The ride was short, Ardyn taking them to the spot just before the blockade. The Regalia was nowhere in sight, and neither was Prompto. Once they were alone, Ignis excused himself to get ahold of Prompto and see where the blond had taken their car.

Hermione sat on the ground, her back against the rock. Gladio stood over her, his arms crossed. "How did that happen?"

Hermione frowned at her arm, a little relieved the sticking charms she'd placed were holding. "I fell around the same time you guys did." She gave him a small grin. "Only, I kind of passed out in the process and probably landed wrong. It's all kind of a blur."

"What?" Noctis asked as he walked over to them. "Ignis said you were fine."

Hermione winced at the angry flush that started to come over his face. "He probably didn't want you to worry. We did have a goal after all. Besides, I was able to make it on my own. I'll be pretty useless for a while, but I'm hoping my healing power will speed things up."

The anger left him, Noctis dropping down next to her with a sigh. "Jeez, Mione. You got hurt worse than I did, and you still jumped in front of me to protect me from that hit with the Archaean. I could have tried to block it."

Hermione tipped her head back, giving a small shrug automatically and then hissing as she remembered why she shouldn't do that. "How was I to know you were tough enough to block a direct hit from that massive hand? My only thought was protecting you."

Noctis snorted, "Protect me? I already have one Shield thank you very much."

Ignis walked back to them, face grave. Gladio asked, "What's wrong?"

"I tried contacting Prompto, but there was no answer." He held up a camera bag, a broken phone hand out of a pocket. "I found this near a boulder."

Noctis stood, grabbing Prompto's things from Ignis. "He never goes anywhere without this. He'd lose a limb first before voluntarily leaving his camera behind."

"The Empire's got him," Gladio said. It wasn't a question.

Ignis nodded, eyes glinting dangerously behind his glasses. "Yes, that's the only possible scenario."

Hermione blew out a breath as they realized what that meant. She knew it had been a trap. Now Prompto and the Regalia were gone.


	14. Chapter 14

**And after a million years, here's the next chapter!**

 **Thank you for your reviews and sticking with this story! They really kept my muse going while I was stuck on one stupid part of this chapter. Literally, just one. Everything else came together after I got through that one part. Ugh.**

 **Enjoy and let me know what you think in the reviews!**

* * *

 **Chapter 14**

Prompto woke to bright lights and swearing in an accent that he usually associated with Hermione or Ignis. The man in the cell in front of him was neither of his friends. His hair was a lighter blond than his own; he was probably from Tenebrae. He didn't look good; skin pale and sweaty, clothes torn in multiple places, various cuts and bruises in different stages marring the parts of his body Prompto could see. The Empire had done a number on him. It didn't bode well for the gunman, that he was sure of.

He couldn't remember much before he'd woken up in this cell. He recalled being alarmed at the tremors that signaled his friends had succeeded in waking up the Astral. He'd given half a thought on joining them but had decided against it. They'd given him his assignment, one he'd been thankful for. Being Noctis' best friend had changed his life in the years he'd known him, but Prompto could say he hadn't been prepared for the journey they'd been on so far. Oh, he laughed everything off and acted like it was all going to be okay but sometimes he wondered just what he'd signed up for when The Marshall had approached him about being a part of the Crownsguard. He wouldn't trade his friendship with Noctis for anything, his friends were the only real family he had, but he missed the easy going life he'd led where his biggest worry was if the lighting would cooperate for the perfect shot he was desperate to take that day.

He wondered how that family was faring right now. Had they realized he'd been taken? Had they made it out of the Meteor? He didn't even know what day it was, how long he'd been gone.

The man in front of him groaned, opening glowing gray eyes filled with resignation as he looked around. Prompto realized he was chained to the wall with shackles on his wrist. He peered at Prompto, his voice devoid of any emotion as he said, "You're new."

Prompto was free to move around unhindered, the only thing keeping him prisoner the complex lock on his cell. He crawled to the front instead of remaining against the wall, letting the man see him better instead of trying to strain his eyes. "Yeah, I think I was just brought in. Maybe? I don't remember much after being ambushed by the Magitek."

The man snorted, "Tell me about it."

Prompto asked, "Who are you? Why do they have you locked up?" Why were they beating you, he wanted to ask.

"I know the wrong person apparently." He looked to the side, his eyes finding the small window across the room. Prompto hadn't noticed it before. "Only she would get mixed up in another war. I swear that woman doesn't know how to lay low and keep her head down, pissed these fuckers off enough that they have a bounty on her head." He rolled his eyes, a self-deprecating chuckle leaving his mouth. "I just had to fall for a Gryffindor, bleeding hearts the lot of them."

Prompto's eyes narrowed at the term. Hadn't he seen that somewhere, a piece of clothing maybe? It was an unusual term, one he'd filed away to ask about later. He just couldn't remember where from at the moment. "That blows, man. But why keep you? You didn't do anything."

The man frowned. "To get information out of me, not that I'd give them any. They'll probably use me as bait eventually. She'll come for me too, that one's always been loyal once she decides to care about you." He shifted, his face screwing up in pain when his arm bent a little bit in the wrong way. "Merlin's saggy balls, I'm going to make them all pay when I get out of here."

Prompto's eyes widened, the familiar name Hermione used as a curse word sometimes having fallen from the man's mouth. "Do you know Hermione?"

The man stilled, his mutters ceasing at the name. "I don't know who you're talking about."

But Prompto had seen it, the quick recognition in his eyes before he'd deliberately forced his expression blank. "It's okay! I'm a friend of hers." He shook his head, but Prompto didn't stop. "It's true! If I had my camera, I'd show you. She has a lot of curly hair, fights with it regularly. She can use the King's magic." Prompto debated with himself but knew this one piece of information would make his fellow captive believe him. "She has letters carved into her arm that she didn't put there herself."

The man's eyes snapped up to him, wide and disbelieving. "Where is she? Is she okay? Does she know I'm here?"

Prompto thought about how aggressive Hermione had been with Ardyn. "I think she does." But she hadn't told them. "What's your name?"

"Draco," he said. "Is that why you're here? Because you know her?"

Prompto shook his head. "Not exactly, but you don't have to worry. My friends will come for me, and she's with them. They'll have us both out, and probably destroy wherever we're at in the process."

Draco slumped against the wall. "I can't believe she's alright. We all thought… well never mind that. Everyone was wrong, obviously."

Before Prompto could ask any more questions, the door leading out of this room opened. Two Magitek dragged a beaten body past them, Prompto recognizing the curly hair and Crownsguard clothes immediately. "Hermione!" he cried out, standing. He cast a quick look to Draco who was watching the proceedings unfazed. Loqui marched in after them, his appearance triumphant in the wake of this accomplishment. If she was here, did that mean the others were captured as well?

The commander didn't pay any attention to Prompto, focusing all his attention on Draco. He had the Magitek position her in front of his cell, her back to Prompto. They held her by the shoulders, making her kneel in front of them. She didn't raise her head, posture defeated. Loqui was grinning as he gestured to the girl. "Looks like we didn't need you after all. One word about you and she was surrendering herself to us. You'll have to forgive her appearance. We didn't part on the best of terms the last time we met."

Draco didn't bother to look at Hermione. "She's not that stupid."

Loqui laughed, his head thrown back in delight. "I beg to differ. Oh, how she begged us to let you go. She promised us anything to ensure you weren't harmed."

Draco ignored him, finding the ceiling fascinating all of a sudden.

Loqi's smile faded just a bit, pulling an ornate pistol from a compartment on his armor. He leveled it at Hermione's head, Prompto watching in horror but unable to do anything. "It's too bad you were so defiant. She'd give us all the information we want, but I find I want it to come from you. You need to learn who your betters are, that Niflheim will not be trifled with."

Draco snorted, "I know who my betters are. There aren't many, and you definitely don't make the cut."

"Last chance," Loqi warned.

Prompto slammed his hands on the glass. What was Draco _doing_? This man was going to murder Hermione! "Stop!"

Loqi ignored him, studying Draco's face. With a cruel smirk, he pulled the trigger, Hermione's body jerking at the impact of the bullet on her skull. The Magitek threw her body to the ground, letting blood and other matter spill over the floor. Prompto cried out, sinking to his knees in shock. Draco watched with little interest, making a face of disgust as some fluid seeped through the bottom of his cell.

Loqi was no longer smiling. "We just killed the girl you've been protecting."

Draco sneered. "Do you think I'm stupid? I knew that it wasn't Hermione. You don't understand; I know how this works. I used to _be_ one of the bad guys. She has far more value than I do. You would never have killed her to get information out of me. Go be a B-rated villain somewhere else."

Then the Magitek and Hermione were gone, vanished right in front of them. Delighted clapping sounded around the room. Ardyn walked into the room, grin out in full force. "Well done, Draco! I knew you wouldn't be so easily fooled." He gestured to the angry Loqi. "Let's go, Commander Tummelt. We have other things to attend to."

Prompto stayed quiet until after they'd left, still in shock over what he'd just witnessed. "How did you know?" he cracked out.

Draco breathed deep, closing his eyes as his head fell back. "I've known Hermione for years, since we were stupid kids. Nothing they could do to her is worse than what's she's already gone through. She would be kicking and screaming should they ever take her prisoner. Besides, I know every inch of her better than anyone else. This illusion did not compare."

* * *

Ignis shook his head as he redid the splints and bindings on Hermione's arm. "I cannot fathom you having the bad luck to break your dominant arm in all three places. Should your healing not take effect, I estimate a recovery time of 8-12 weeks. Since I think it will unless we encounter any more difficulties that lead to further injury, I think you'll be fully healed before then."

Hermione groaned, "You do realize the kind of life we lead, don't you?"

Ignis' lips twitched as he stepped back. "I suggest taking it easy for the most part. Use your magic from a distance. We were remiss in not training both your hands for your chosen weapons, but we'll make due." He frowned as Noctis stomped out of the camper they were staying in at Wiz's Chocobo Post. "Still no word from Cindy?"

Noctis shook his head, shoving his hands in his pockets. "None. She promised to call when she had something."

Hermione blew out a breath in frustration. "Cor wants us to stay put until he has something as well. He doesn't like that we're almost two people down."

Noctis scoffed, "Yeah? Well, it's not his best friend stuck with Niflheim." He stomped off after that, headed towards the black Chocobo and her baby.

Ignis sighed, "I'll go talk to him."

Gladio walked out of the camper as well, nodding to Ignis as he pulled Hermione off her seat and took it. He settled her on his lap, mindful of her wounded arm. "What's the verdict?"

"Broken in three different places," she responded cheerfully. "I'll be quite useless with the daggers for a while. I'm afraid fighting with my left hand isn't as strong as the right."

Gladio grunted, "We'll fix that. For now, you just let us do the fighting."

Hermione rolled her eyes, letting her head fall back onto his shoulder. "You mean, I'm forbidden from running around and stabbing things? How ever will I survive?"

Gladio growled low, leaning down and nipping her neck for her cheek. Hermione tilted her head to the side, giving him further access should he want it. He did, biting her a little harder and then soothing it with his tongue. He inched a hand under her shirt, grazing his fingers up her abdomen until he passed over the middle of her bra.

Ignis kept his face straight as he headed for the camper, barely sparing the two a glance. "I meant it when I said you need to take it easy, Hermione. That means no fooling around."

Moment broken, Gladio buried his face in her neck, laughing softly. Hermione frowned after Ignis but didn't protest. She waited until Gladio had lifted his head before re-positioning herself so that her head was on his shoulder. Usually she would curl into his chest, but her broken arm prevented that.

Gladio ran a hand down her hair, the curls still tangled from earlier. "It's good to see your eyes back to normal, no more red for you."

Hermione laughed, "I used to think my eyes were boring, but now I'm so glad they're brown. I don't know how I'd like it if the Astral's decided to take up permanent residence in my head."

"You'd be a messenger then," Ignis said as he walked back out. Delicious smells wafted from the open door. He'd started to cook. "It is considered a great honor to become a conduit for the God's."

"No thank you," she said simply.

"What are you cooking, Iggy?" Gladio asked.

"One of Noctis' favorites." Ignis looked at the prince as he stared off into space while absently petting the Chocobo's. "I'm hoping it will cheer him up."

It didn't much to Ignis' dismay. The prince ate, but he didn't speak unless someone asked him a direct question. He retired not long after dinner, citing tiredness from the long day. They heard the door to one of the room's slam, Hermione wincing as she heard something break a moment later. She was going to have to fix that before Wiz found out.

Ignis sighed, casting his eyes to the clouds that had begun to form when they'd settled down for dinner. Hermione laid her good hand on his shoulder in a comforting squeeze. "You tried, Ignis. I would just let him be tonight."

Ignis nodded, reaching up and patting her hand in thanks. He stood, gathering the dirty dishes. "What was the prince trying to ask you about after our fight with the Archaean?"

Hermione moved to help him stack, but he shot her a look that had her hunching her shoulders and sitting on a vacant seat. Gladio rubbed a hand over his mouth to hide his smile, but Hermione saw it. She sent him a small glare, rolling her eyes when the smile got bigger. "We had a vision when the Archaean disappeared. Princess Lunafreya was with him, speaking to him I believe. She was holding a trident, one I could feel was imbued with magic, but I don't think she meant to fight him. I think she was waking him up."

Ignis paused in his gathering to look at her. "She must be forming a covenant with them, asking them to help Noctis."

She pursed her lips as she thought about it. "That makes sense. The first king had to gain the Astral's allegiance when he stopped the daemon manifestations the first time. I guess we wouldn't be incorrect in thinking Noctis has to do the same. The Archaean was the first, but I doubt he'll be the last Astral we have to deal with." She stopped talking when she noticed Ignis and Gladio were staring at her. "What?"

Ignis was the first to speak. "I did not know King Somnus was required to forge alliances with the Astral's before he could end the daemon invasion the first time. It is not in our history."

It wasn't? Merlin, how was she supposed to explain this? She decided to feign ignorance. "Really? Well, I guess different countries tend to have different historical accounts. Anyway, if she's forming covenants, we should expect another test of sorts to come our way." Hermione looked up at the clouds, noticing they were darkening in color. It could be just a typical storm, but...They wouldn't have long to wait if that was who she thought it was.

Gladio said, "She must be pretty dedicated to helping Noct. Even if Niflheim doesn't think she has the ring, they'd still want the Oracle back under their power. Staying in Lucian territory is a great risk."

"She doesn't have a choice," Hermione explained. "Only the Oracle can awaken an Astral. It is their duty to help the Lucian Kings, even more so if they happen to be the Chosen as Noctis is. She'll continue, even if it is to her detriment."

Ignis had narrowed his eyes as Hermione seemed to be a wealth of information that even he did not know. Once again, things were not adding up when it came to the princess. How she was able to acquire the right medical supplies for her arm was one, certain things during their travel another. Then there was the secret she was obviously keeping during her loss of composure with the Niflheim Chancellor. It bothered him, but Ignis didn't know how to bring it up with the rest of the group without angering them. They were drawn to her in different ways, would not take questions to her character lightly. Her words stopped him short though, the tone of her voice sad as she spoke of the Oracle. "What do you mean?" he asked. "Is something wrong with Princess Lunafreya?"

Hermione looked surprised by his question, as if she'd forgotten she wasn't alone during her speech. She shrugged. "Waking a God is no easy feat, I'd imagine. You've seen how I get when I use too much magic. Without rest and proper recovery time, I risk endangering myself. Excluding Titan and Ifrit, he brought this plague to Eos in the first place, she has four other God's to wake and convince to align with Noctis. And if she's as dedicated to her calling as I think she is, she'll be performing her regular duties along the way. All this will take a toll on her, one I don't think she'll easily recover from."

Hermione forced herself to stop talking. She was rambling, she knew. Who knew what kind of information they had their hands on? Did they even know that Ifrit turned on humans long ago? Standing up, she gave them what she hoped was a convincing grin. "I think I'm going to go clean up, get some sleep. Hopefully, Cindy will have something for us in the morning."

Gladio stood as well. "I'll help you. No way are you going to be able to do anything with that arm."

Well, she could, but Hermione didn't know how to decline his help without answering why. She nodded, entering the trailer and headed straight for the small bathroom. Gladio was right behind her, his large frame making the restroom seem tiny. Hermione wanted to laugh as he accidentally bumped his elbow into a wall. "Still want to help me out?"

Gladio nodded. "You'll just make a mess of yourself if I don't. We'll manage. Start the water. I'll go grab a trash bag."

Hermione did as he asked, careful not to let the water hit her arm. She didn't have a cast, but she had no desire to have to go through the torture of drying her splints and changing out her bandages the muggle way just to avoid suspicion. She'd already bungled things up earlier; she was sure she was going to have to be more careful around Ignis until he forgot about her slip-ups.

Gladio came in a moment later, garbage bag in hand. "Let's get you out of your clothes before we put this on."

Hermione sighed, sitting on the toilet so that he could take off her shoes. "This is not how I imagined you'd see me naked."

Gladio laughed, "Me either, sweetheart. Don't worry; I'll be getting naked too. Gotta wash that hair of yours." He winked at her. "Plus, we'll save water by showering together."

The bathroom was steamed up by the time they made their way into the shower, Hermione's arm secured in its cover. Her face was in full blush mode, Hermione having to fight the urge to look lower than Gladio's waist. The man was doing a valiant job of respecting the line they had yet to cross, keeping his eyes forward or on her face.

He wrapped his arms around her, bringing them close until her back was pressed against his chest. He kissed the top of her head. "See? This isn't so bad."

Hermione made a sound that was neither an agreement or disagreement. She wished she could be as carefree as he was about this. It was just so intimate. She could _feel_ he was affected by their close proximity.

Gladio reached over for the bottle of generic soap, keeping his arms around her while he squirted some onto his palm. After rubbing his hands together, he ran his hands slowly down her body, lathering her limbs and torso as he worked his way down. Her breath hitched as he passed over the junction of her thighs, his fingers barely skimming the curls before moving on. Hermione thought she was going to die by the time he made his way back up. His palm brushed against the trash bag Hermione had forgotten completely in her quest to remain breathing while he washed her.

It crinkled, the sound out of place in the steamy bathroom.

Tension popping like a bubble, they broke into fits of laughter, Hermione's snorts mixing with his deep chuckles. Turning in his arms, she wrapped her good arm around him, pressing a chaste kiss to his chest. Gladio ran a hand down her back, bringing her closer for one last squeeze before turning her around. "Alright, let's do your hair."

They stayed in the shower long after the water had gone cold, content to just hold each other after the long day they'd had. It had been Hermione's first confrontation with a divine being. She'd known they were out there, her experiences with the Archaean before this had been proof enough, but it was different than coming face to face with one. At that moment, her thoughts had been entirely on making sure they all got out alive, but a part of her had been awed by his presence. How could Niflheim not have been affected by the power, the beauty of it all?

Gladio helped her dress once they got out, Hermione bruising her lip to keep from crying with every move of her arm. Ignis was waiting for them when they stepped out, a vial in his hand. "Normally, these curatives only work on injuries not related to the bones, but this is the best we have."

She took it gratefully, watching him as she swallowed it down. He was observing her, saying nothing. She set the empty vial on the counter, resisting the urge to hunch her shoulders at his gaze. He'd looked at her like that when they'd first met, like she was a puzzle he was trying to figure out.

She took the second room, all parties agreeing that Noctis should be left alone for the night. When Hermione was finally alone, her thoughts turned to Draco. Aranea hadn't called her yet; it was discouraging. _Loqi's a bloodthirsty man._ She couldn't help but remember Ardyn's words to her. Merlin, what was happening to him? Why was he here in the first place?

How was it that he would be the one to follow her here and not Harry or Ron?

Hermione put a stop to those thoughts as soon as they took a turn, fiercely reminding herself that they had _families_. She didn't want them here, in the middle of another war and fighting for their lives. No, her world may have its fair share of issues, but it wasn't demons and world domination, not anymore.

* * *

"Anything?"

The sky was cloudy the next morning, thunder rumbling in the distance. Noctis looked tired, bags under his eyes and clothes wrinkled. Ignis had tried getting him to eat, but he hadn't been hungry. The slow denials at his question didn't improve his disposition.

He kicked the side of the trailer. "Damn it!"

Hermione placed a hand on his shoulder, but he shrugged it off and moved away from them. Her shoulders slumped at the gesture even if she tried not to take it personally. Gladio gingerly placed his arm around her, mindful of her injured arm. "Let him be, Hermione."

"I…" Hermione glanced away. "Alright." She looked towards the wooded area. Maybe she could help in some way, but she'd need to be away from them to perform the magic.

There was a grim staring back at her.

She startled, blinking her eyes in shock, but when she opened them again, it wasn't a grim but a black dog. Gladio frowned down at her. "What's wrong?"

Hermione started pulling Gladio in the dog's direction. "That dog, do you see it?"

Gladio looked forward, raising his eyebrows as the canine walked further away from them. "Yup. He looks familiar." He pulled her to a stop. "Stay here. I'm going to grab Iggy and Noct."

She picked up her pace as soon as Gladio started jogging back. The dog was walking away from them, and Hermione was afraid he'd disappear if they let him out of their sight.

He came to a stop just a bit from the Chocobo post. Hermione caught up to him, panting slightly as she bent down to scratch his ears. Her brows furrowed when she felt a presence behind her. She stood quickly, spinning around to face the intruder.

The woman was watching her with a serene smile on her face. Hermione's eyes narrowed. "I've seen you."

"Gentiana," Noctis exclaimed as the boys caught up with her.

Gladio gave her a questioning look. "Why do you hate me?"

Hermione opened her mouth, but Gentiana was already speaking. "Hear me, oh King of the Stone. By the Stormsender's blessing, will the path to the Stone be opened. The Oracle goes hence in her King's name."

Noctis sent Gentiana a pleading look. "Luna… Where is she now?"

Gentiana only said, "The eye of the storm. When the covenant is forged, the Oracle and ring shall await their King at the walls of water. Stray not from the path."

And then she was gone. Hermione watched Noctis bend down and interact with the dog, taking a notebook out from under its bandana. She murmured, "Gentiana, one of the messengers of the Glacian."

Ignis heard her. "Yes, she is very faithful to the Oracle."

Gladio was watching Noctis as he looked to the sky. "Walls of water has to mean Altissa. We're going to have to get over there."

Ignis nodded. "Yes, it seems Caem might serve the crown as it did before."

Gladio was already pulling out his phone. "The hidden harbor. I'll get Iris on it."

Hermione was focused on the single lightning beam that had touched down for all to see. "Ramuh's trial has begun."

Noctis came up to her, shrugging. "We'll get to it _after_ we get Prompto back."

Hermione whipped her head around to face him, Gladio and Ignis stopping what they were doing. "What the bloody hell do you mean, _we'll get to it?_ Noctis, you can't just ignore this trial until we save Prompto. We don't even know where he is!"

Noctis glared at the ground. "He's my best friend."

She sighed, "Look, I get it, but he would understand. This is important."

"No! You don't get it!" Noctis turned his glare on her. "He never signed up for any of this! He was just the kid that wanted to be my friend. You wouldn't get that. None of your friends are in danger!"

Hermione recoiled as if slapped. Oh, she didn't get it? _She didn't get it?_ She itched to hex him, could feel her hand sparking with her magic.

Ignis and Gladio laid hands on her shoulders, deflating her anger with their reminder that they could easily restrain her if necessary.

She tilted her chin up, eyes frosting over as she looked over him. "I think you're being _stupid_ , but it's your call. Who cares if you piss off a deity? It isn't like Lady Lunafreya isn't risking her life to wake them up for you." She shrugged off her companion's shoulders, walking away from them and into the woods. No one followed her, and she was completely fine with that.

Her phone rang as she was fuming against a tree. She recognized the number, answering immediately. "You've found him."

Aranea chuckled, "I did. They have him at the same base you're happy-go-lucky friend was brought to. They're not all that interested in him right now, too busy working over your friend still."

She gripped the phone tighter. "Prompto's there? What about the Regalia?"

"This damn lightning storm has halted progress on moving the car, but the base they're at is where it's heading."

Hermione let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you."

"Just remember you owe me a favor, honey. I'll ping the location to you." Aranea paused, and then said, "You think instead of a favor, I can get a kiss?"

She blew out a breath, once again ending the call to the Niflheim officer's laughter.

Ignis stepped out from behind some trees. "You've managed to locate Prompto."

Hermione frowned. "What are you doing here?"

He raised a brow at her tone. "You didn't think we'd let you run off on your own, did you?" He tilted his head to the side. "Who do they have, Hermione? Is this person the reason for your meltdown with the Chancellor?"

She looked to the ground. "Don't ask, Ignis."

Ignis stepped up to her, pushing his glasses up impatiently. "What are you hiding? If you've been lying all this time-"

"I'm not lying," Hermione protested. "Not exactly. I just haven't told you everything about me."

He stepped back. "I see. And are you willing to divulge this information now?" When she shook her head, he let out a small sigh. "Very well. I will let this go for now, but eventually Hermione; you will have to come clean."

She'd known that, had known that her secret couldn't stay that way forever. She let him escort her back to their group. Noctis looked apologetic when they met up, Gladio looking over her from behind him. The prince opened his mouth, but Hermione held up a hand before he could get a word out. "I know where Prompto is."

Gladio looked at Ignis sharply while Noctis' eyes widened. "Where is he?"

"At a Niflheim base, but I'm not sure which one yet. My contact should be sending me the location shortly, I hope."

Noctis moved to hug her, but she stepped back before he could. "But I still think you should complete Ramuh's trial before we storm the base. He chose now to test you for a reason. My contact tells me they aren't interested in him right now." She looked down. "They have another person they're focusing on."

"He's not being hurt?" Noctis asked softly.

Hermione shook her head. "No, and it buys us time to get Ramuh's blessing." She looked up. "I'll let you know when I have the location."

She walked away, intent on getting her Chocobo ready to leave. Gladio caught up with her a moment later. "Who's your contact?"

She pursed her lips. "You won't like the answer."

Gladio grimaced. "She's with Niflheim, Hermione."

Hermione nodded slowly. "I'm pretty sure that's how she was able to feed me the information."

He pulled her to a stop. "Did you call her?"

She hesitated for a moment and then shook her head. "No, she had other information for me." She pressed a finger to his lips before he could ask. "Don't."

His lips pressed into a thin line. "You don't trust me?"

"I trust you with my life," Hermione told him and left it at that.

After an hour of no contact from Aranea, they decided to start the trial. The ride on the Chocobo's was tense. Noctis kept glancing at her with a guilty expression, but Hermione was still angry by his outburst and not in the mood to hear any apology he had for her. Gladio had insisted she ride with him, Ignis agreeing after she had failed to manipulate the reins properly with one hand. The problem was, he was upset by their conversation earlier, and was sitting stiffly behind her, the arm around her only there to keep her steady.

They had been traveling along the open road, but Ignis suddenly made them veer halfway to their destination. Hermione saw why as they passed a Magitek blockade. Soldiers were patrolling the area, bigger armor at the ready and blocking the street.

When they reached the area where the lightning struck down continuously, it was to a single tree surrounded by rocks. The tree was different from the others known in this region, sparking with intense power. Noctis walked up to it, reaching out to touch it.

Hermione felt a twinge in the back of her mind, her free hand coming up to her head as she swayed a bit. Ignis and Gladio glanced at her in alarm. "Are you alright?"

She swallowed as the twinge grew stronger. "Uh-"

" _The revelation of the Stormsender awaits the King… Hurry hence to the eye of the Storm. Foreign hordes fear the True King's ascension. The fearful seek to seal the path of what must come."_

They looked around, but Gentiana was nowhere to be found. Hermione turned to the three men also checking all corners of the clearing. "You heard her, right?"

They nodded. Hermione fell to her knees as pain exploded in the back of her head. She heard: _Your trial begins…_

And then her body was no longer under her control.

* * *

 **AN: I've just accepted at this point that this sassy Draco is what my muse will continue to give me. I blame Gryffindor influence through the years.**

 **Next chapter is already done, so I will see you all next week! Review!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Thank you everyone who has added this story to your favorite/follow list!**

 **Also, thank you for your reviews! They keep my muse going. I'm a huge crossover fan too, so it pains me that there aren't more out there for Harry Potter and Final Fantasy XV, but that just convinces me I need to write more of them. I too get excited when my muse decides to throw Aranea and Hermione together. I honestly had planned for them not to like each other, but my muse nixed that idea with their first interaction.**

 **I hope everyone enjoys this chapter! Let me know what you think in the reviews!**

* * *

 **Chapter 15**

Gladio was careful when helping Hermione to her feet. "I've got you. What happened?" When she didn't answer, he moved to tilt her chin up, but Ignis stopped him.

"Look at her eyes, Gladio."

Noctis cursed, Gladio choking on his breath when he saw they were ice blue. God's damn it all, not again.

Hermione pulled herself out of his grip with ease, turning away from them and walking away from the secluded area they were in. Another lightning strike had started farther away from them, Hermione turning in its direction and headed towards it.

Gladio looked at Ignis. "I don't like this."

"That makes two of us," he replied. "But we have no choice. We can't leave the princess more vulnerable than she already is."

Noctis wasted no time, running to catch up with Hermione who was walking with unhurried strides. When she spoke, her words were double toned, her voice mixed with Gentiana's. "The Oracle's call awakens the God's that their blessings find the King.."

The guys followed in her wake, shooting each other uneasy glances every so often. Gladio was barely keeping it together. What was with these Astral's? His girlfriend was not a tool for them to use, damn it. He felt a familiar burn in his heart. Was he not strong enough that they needed to take matters into their own hands?

He watched as she made her way to the Chocobo's, pressing her palm against its closed beak and her forehead on its own. She closed her eyes, smiling softly. The maroon Chocobo knelt on the ground with a squawk. Hermione slid onto the saddle, trailing her fingers down the feathered head as it moved down to grip the reins. She stayed seated when it rose up, not waiting for them to mount as it took off at a run.

Gladio cast his eyes to the sky in irritation before turning to Noctis who was already mounting his own bird. "Move forward. I'm riding with you."

They caught up to her fairly quickly, the Chocobo's continuing a steady running pace. They avoided the roads again. Gladio could hear the metal of their enemy. He was itching for a fight but was unwilling to go through with his desire with Hermione in such a vulnerable position.

They came across two toads near a fence line, Hermione stopping the Chocobo with a gentle tug of its reins. The blue eyes looked around the area, and then she was getting off the Chocobo, nudging it in a different direction. Gladio tensed.

He grabbed Noctis by his shirt, jerking him off their ride when Magitek swarmed the area. He wanted to go for Hermione, but his duty was to the prince. Ignis would get her, would keep her safe.

Hermione calmly walked past the defensive group, ice spreading from the tips of her fingers to the rest of her hand. She stood in front of them, tilting her head to the side as she studied the group of armored soldiers pointing their guns at them. She raised her hand, covering the three of them in a domed barrier. Noctis protested, but the magic was solid. Ignis struck at it with his daggers; it didn't make a dent.

Meanwhile, Hermione had raised her palm in the air. Icicles formed above the Magitek. She brought her hand down, the ice following her lead like bullets, penetrating armor and bringing down soldiers. She twisted out of the way with fluid movements as the survivors started firing. The bullet's never got past the shield she'd put up, bouncing off it and flying in different directions. Her expression remained blank as she shot ice at the remaining Magitek, face paler than before but otherwise not breaking a sweat.

When the enemy was down, she brought down the barrier. She walked past them, saying, "The covenant is forged, but the revelation awaits. Make now for the Stormsender and let judgment be passed."

Gladio scoffed, "That divine power is just waiting for you."

Hermione continued as if he hadn't spoken. "By revelation is the power of the Six manifest. The Stone commands that the King receive it."

The second tree was much like the first. Noctis reached out his hand, activating the magic. Gladio looked at Hermione, hoping that maybe the Astral's were done with her now that Noctis had gotten to the tree.

There was no such luck. Her eyes were still a bright blue, but purple was starting to creep along the edges.

He clenched his fist. "Damn it."

Hermione looked at Noctis. "O King, Journey to Fociaugh, the eastern hollow. The seal has been lifted. Deep within the heart of rock lies the runestone, the portal to power. No other can be allowed to find it."

Noctis kicked the ground with his boot. "Let's get this over with. The sooner I finish this, the sooner I get my sister back."

"One can only hope," Ignis sighed.

The last strike was leading them back towards Wiz's. They encountered more Magitek along the way, but Hermione barely gave them a chance to fight, using ice and lightning to take the enemy down. Gladio was worried about how pale she had gotten. Her eyes were now blue and purple, the combination pretty but not his Hermione and therefore not right.

He glanced down at his phone when they made it to the small lake before reaching the Chocobo post. Iris still hadn't texted him back, and it had been hours. She knew not to do that, not with things the way they were now. He was worried something had happened, his only reprieve that Jared was with her. The beloved man was old, but still spry for his age, could get Iris out if something had happened.

When they got to Wiz's Noctis said, "Maybe we should rest the Chocobo's for the night, start fresh tomorrow morning. Mione is getting paler the more she fights."

Gladio wanted her back already, wasn't sure the Astral's would leave her for the night. "We should keep going. Two God's inside her head can't be good for her. The sooner they leave, the better."

"We don't have a choice but to continue," Ignis pointed out. "Look."

Hermione was petting the tired Chocobo, no indication that she was listening to their conversation. They saw it then, the small trickle of blood the left a bloody trail down her lips and chin.

They continued.

The cave they needed to enter was blocked by a large boulder. Noctis suggested using his bombs to blow the thing apart, Ignis suggested finding another entrance. Gladio just watched Hermione, wondering why she hadn't interfered already like she had the other times.

Her hand lifted into the air.

"Fuck. Get back!" Gladio pulled Noctis and Ignis behind him, pushing them to cover just as Hermione brought her hand down in one swift movement. A massive boom sounded, lighting blinding them temporarily. When they could see again, the boulder had been blasted to bits, small chunks still smoking on the ground.

Hermione was slowly bleeding from both nostrils now.

Gladio couldn't take it anymore. He marched up to her, grabbing her chin and forcing those alien eyes to look at him. "Stop it! You have to know what you're doing to her. Just stop!"

Ignis pulled him back. "Be careful with your actions, Gladio. One wrong move and we could lose Hermione permanently."

"We're already losing her," Noctis bit out. "How much blood can a person lose before nothing can be done?"

Hermione walked to the entrance to the cave, turning towards them and gesturing with her chin. The three let out a collective sigh but continued on. It wasn't until they were a few feet inside the cave that they realized Hermione hadn't followed. When Gladio looked back, she was watching them from the entrance, making no move to join them. A part of Gladio was relieved, but the other part was stressed at leaving her alone. If Niflheim pursued them, she'd be by herself with Astral's still possessing her.

He took his anger and worry out on the monsters of the cave. Imps and glowing thunder balls fell under his sword, his focus on getting Noctis through this. Noctis was just as determined, taking on the harder daemons without a thought. They were all pretty much over this trial. All Gladio wanted to do was get Hermione into a bed where she could recover, and then storm the base Prompto was being held at.

His thoughts moved to his father once again. What would his dad think of his performance as a Shield? Would he admonish him for entangling himself with royalty? As they fought, doubts started to creep into his mind. He had always been too reckless, to easily persuaded to bend the rules. How many times had Noctis been hurt? What training had prepared him for facing off against Astral's? He thought back to the time in the ice cave where Noctis had nearly lost his life. If Hermione hadn't been there, they'd have lost the crown royal of Lucis. Gladio hadn't been able to protect against the mind assault.

What use was he as a Shield if he couldn't protect his King against every danger?

They eventually came to an empty area with two paths. Ignis led them down one but stopped at the large metal door that blocked their way further. Ignis studied the glowing sigils. "How fascinating."

Gladio frowned. "Hermione found one like this by the first tomb we went to without Cor. She was very interested in it."

"What is it?" Noctis asked.

Ignis pursed his lips in thought. "We'll have to ask Hermione."

"Then we need to get moving." Gladio urged them back.

They were headed to the other path when a giant snake dropped down in front of them. The head was shaped like a human's, dreadlock hair moving like tentacles. Gladio breathed through his mouth, the stench coming off it almost unbearable.

"My baby…" It rasped out. "Where…"

Noctis held his hands up. "Your baby? Yeah, I know where your baby is."

The snake eyes brightened in fury. "That would mean… YOU took him!"

Shit. Gladio summoned his sword, sending the first strike before it could try and take a bite out of Noctis. Blood sprayed from a cut on its face, the snake shrieking in pain. Gladio swung again, but it slithered away before his sword could make contact. He stuck by the prince, combining Greatsword strikes to bring it down.

He coughed as green gas filled the area. When it cleared, Noctis was nowhere to be found. Gladio looked around in alarm. "Iggy, where's Noct?"

Ignis had coated his daggers in ice, finding that the element did more significant damage to the snake than others. He scanned the area for any sign of his ward, eyes narrowing at the small frog hopping around. "There!" He pointed towards the amphibian.

Gladio's rage ignited. Just how the hell was he supposed to protect against frog turning gas? With a bellow, he continued to hit the snake with his greatsword, channeling his fury into powerful swings. Ignis finally killed it with a swing of his daggers to its head, the tail twitching a couple of times before laying still.

Noctis turned back into a human, stumbling mid-hop. "That was not fun."

Ignis inspected him for injuries. "Are you alright?"

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, but I'm so done with this. Let's finish this trial so that we can leave."

Those words were music to Gladio's ears. He stayed hypervigilant as they continued, ready to take down anything else that came their way.

The last tree looked out of place in the cave, but it was there. The pressure of its magic could be felt by even Gladio and Ignis. Noctis touched the tree, his eyes turning the same purple as Hermione's as lightning flashed all around them. Noctis stumbled back after a while, the power disappearing from the area. Gladio was relieved to see his eyes were back to normal. If his were, that meant Hermione might be back to normal too.

Ignis had the same thought. "It'd be prudent of us to get back the top quickly. Hermione could need medical attention."

The encountered minimal attacks on the way back up. Noctis told them about what he'd seen. Gladio had to hand it to Lady Lunafreya. She was one hell of an Oracle. Her dedication was admirable. Noctis didn't deserve her, and he had no problem telling him so.

When they got to the entrance, Hermione was sitting against one of the rocks, her eyes closed and head tilted down. The bleeding had stopped, but there was a puddle around her, worrying Ignis who was the most medically trained of all of them.

Around the space outside the cave, dozens of Magitek littered the ground. Gladio picked up his girlfriend, holding her tight, and refusing to think about her facing off against these numbers by herself. He looked up to the sky, finding it bright and sunny. "Looks like Ramuh is done with showers."

Hermione's phone buzzed from inside her pants. Ignis gingerly took it out, looking at the incoming text. "Her Highness's contact has come through."

Noctis glanced down at his sister, face scrunching up in indecision. "She's in no state to be storming a base."

Ignis agreed. "But she cannot be left by herself either."

Gladio looked down at her peaceful face. She was way too pale, the dried blood a stark contrast against the lack of color on her skin. "We'll take her back to Wiz's and call Cor. He should still be in the area."

Decision made, they made the walk back to Wiz's. Ignis called Cor while they walked. He explained the situation, Cor's loud voice could be heard through the speaker of the phone. The Marshall was not at all happy. Gladio tightened his grip around Hermione. He heard words like _take her away_ and _safer with him_. Over his dead body would he let Cor take her away from them.

Wiz had kept the camper clear, rightfully thinking of their imminent return. Gladio laid Hermione on the semi-comfortable bed in what was supposed to be the master. The room bore the brunt of Noctis' fury the other night, glassware broken and a couple of holes here and there. The already peeling wallpaper was completely ripped off in some places. He wondered if Iggy had seen this yet. Damn kid had no restraint.

They waited until Cor arrived with Monica in tow, the stone-faced Crownsguard carrying a black bag over her shoulder. She walked straight into the camper with an acknowledging nod for him and Ignis, and a bow of respect for the prince.

Cor crossed his arms over the chest, staring them down and making no move to head into the trailer after Monica. "You said the Astral's possessed her?

Ignis nodded. "Yes, Titan invaded her mind before we went to confront him, but the only indication he was there was the coloring of her eyes. During the trial with the Fulgarian, her body was not under her control. She spoke with Gentiana's voice as well as her own, displayed magical prowess we had not seen come from her as of yet. The toll was evident on her body's exhaustion and the bleeding. She wasn't there for the last part of the trial, but the evidence outside the cave suggests they used her to keep Niflheim from following after us."

"I don't like it."

Noctis snorted, "Neither do we, believe me."

Cor sighed, "We'll keep her here while you go retrieve Prompto. How did you get the location?"

Gladio pressed his lips together. "Aranea gave it to her."

Cor breathed through his mouth, slowly. "She contacted Highwind?"

"According to her," Gladio snapped out. "She was already calling with other information. This just happened to be a bonus." He still didn't like it. The Niflheim woman rubbed him the wrong way.

Cor stilled. "What?"

Ignis exchanged a glance with Gladio before running a hand through his hair, the only sign the man was uncomfortable. "I happened upon their conversation which she had waited to take until she was alone. Miss Highwind was telling her the location of a person. He's at the same base Prompto is being held at."

"Of course," Cor murmured. His eyes shifted to the camper. "When I found out she had been with the Chancellor of Niflheim, she had called to ask about Loqi's movements around Lucis. She only told me it was important that she find out. I thought you guys had another fight with him, but then I was shocked to find out who you'd been with, I didn't think to ask."

Noctis stared at the ground, hard. His earlier words to her came back to him. "She completely lost it with Ardyn, punching him and acting crazy. We thought he'd irritated her and Titan messing with her had made her crack…"

Ignis placed a hand on Noctis' shoulder. "We'll get them both out of there."

Cor glanced at his watch. "You still have half a day left. I suggest doing this break-in at night. Niflheim isn't as watchful when there are daemons deterring intruders."

The group of three prepared, and took off on the Chocobo's. Their postures were tense, their bodies dirty from earlier fighting. But there was a grim determination in their eyes. One of their own was at this base. Gladio truly wanted to believe that Prompto wasn't being harmed, but the sooner they got him out, the better. And there was Hermione's friend. She hadn't mentioned him to them, to him. Why? She has to know they would help her get him back.

Cor watched them leave before sighing and walking into the trailer and to the room where Monica was throwing away used wipes, blood spotted around the material. "What's the verdict?"

Monica looked up. "She'll live though I'm not sure what state she'll wake up in. She's showing signs of exhaustion, extreme signs of magic overuse. Her arm has healed a little, but the healing won't retake effect until she's recovered from this."

Cor frowned. "She's using too much magic."

Monica rolled her eyes. "That's what I said. We know from Gladio and Ignis that magic is her primary weapon. She doesn't take as well to other weapons the way she does the magic. From what we can gather, there were two Astral's in control, pushing the limits of her abilities."

"Should we take her with us when she wakes?" Cor questioned. "We don't come up against the same amount of opposition they do."

Monica snorted, "Good luck with that. Tell me how Gladio and Prince Noctis take it."

"Gladio will do as he's told," Cor stated with absolute surety.

Monica disagreed. "Gladio is falling in love. Do you remember what Clarus was like when he met his wife?"

He did, and the memory made him almost smile and then grimace as he remembered who the target of Amicitia's affections was.

Monica sent him a knowing look but said nothing else.

* * *

Draco held back his screams as they shocked him again. This pain was nothing compared to the Cruciatus Curse, but it was still pain. His body had almost forgotten how to handle being tortured, had nearly forgotten not to fight the pain and just let his body roll with it.

How lucky that his mind had easily snapped back to the days that his Death Eater comrades used to bring him pain for the hell of it.

His eyes shifted to the horrified pupils of Hermione's friend Prompto. That kid was as innocent as they came. Draco envied him the ability to feel horror. The emotion had been torn out of him the moment he came home after 4th year to the Dark Lord as their guest. They hadn't touched him, the officer was more interested in Draco's secrets than the blond's. Prompto had kept his spirits up when they were alone, telling stories about his antics in school and adventures with the prince of this country before all hell had broken loose. Draco offered no stories in return, and Prompto steered clear of any mention of Hermione. For that, Draco was grateful.

He had no doubt they were monitoring their conversations, were hoping for Draco to slip up and tell them something about his former girlfriend. The only time Prompto had mentioned her was to tell him he didn't have to worry about her, that none of their group, especially this Gladio, would let harm come to her. Merlin's Balls, the implication of that statement turned his stomach, but Draco didn't know how to respond. Did he have a right to be irritated? He'd broken up with her after all.

Fuck it; he thought as he fought his body's natural fighting instinct from another shock. _She_ had been the one to teach him that he could feel whatever the bloody hell he wanted. So he was going to be irritated and a little angry.

Loqi lifted his head by his sweat-soaked hair, eyes burning under the bright light. "I'm getting tired of your resistance."

"That's good," Draco said through a mouth filled with saliva and blood. "I'm getting tired of your persistence."

Loqi let out an enraged scream, dropping him to the floor and lifting his heavy boot to kick Draco in the side. His kicks were vicious, Draco curling up in himself in a weak attempt to lessen the pain. He wanted to cry, to plead, but his proud magical heritage wouldn't let him. His own kind hadn't been able to break him completely; he wouldn't let this deranged Muggle do what they couldn't.

The door opened, the strange man from earlier stepping into the room. "Commander, anything?"

Loqi stopped his assault, shaking his head. "No, Chancellor. He seems resistant to the common forms of interrogation, but I am not giving up."

The Chancellor nodded. "Very well, but I'm afraid this will have to be put on hold. You see, the Prince's entourage is in the process of storming this base at this very moment. Commander Ulldor has ordered him taken to another facility."

Loqi stepped out of the cell, eagerness in his eyes. "But this is the time to capture them all! The prince, princess, and the ring in one fell swoop would bring glory to the Empire and demoralize what's left of those that oppose us!"

He was given a stern look. "You will do as you're told Commander Tummelt."

Loqi seemed to deflate but nodded. "Of course. What about the other one?"

The Chancellor lifted his hand and waved it in dismissal. "We have no actual need for him. Let his friends find him."

The two men left, leaving Draco and Prompto alone. Prompto crawled to the front of his cell. "Did you hear that, Draco? They're here for us."

Draco had heard, but his gut told him something else. They were moving him. He didn't have much time. Maneuvering his shackles, he fought to get a decent grip on his hair. What he got was a slippery one, but it would have to do. Steeling himself, he pulled backward, breathing through the sharp pain as he pulled out whatever hair he could. He let it drop to the ground, looking at the fine strands in dismay. There wasn't much.

Draco reminded himself who was coming after him. She could do a whole lot more with less.

He looked Prompto in the eyes, trying to convey the seriousness of what he was about to ask. "You get those hairs to Hermione, do you hear me? Whatever you do, don't forget them."

Prompto opened his mouth in protest. "But they're coming for us…"

"And they'll get you," Draco assured him. "But Niflheim has further need of me. You tell Hermione they took my blood. You give her the hairs. Prompto, do you understand?"

The door opened again, and Prompto could only nod in misery as Draco was restrained heavily and taken out of the room.

* * *

Hermione was irritated.

She'd woken from her impromptu nap with a vague recollection of what had happened, and orders from both Monica and Cor to stay put until the boys came back. They'd gone to raid the Niflheim base without her, leaving her under the careful watch of the Crownsguard. She understood, but it still infuriated her. How else was she supposed to search for Draco if she wasn't there?

Not that she'd be much use. The magic that came from this land was almost negligible in her right now. She could feel it, but her natural magic was more prevalent at the moment. She only remembered bits and pieces of her time locked away in her mind while her body moved around and exhausted itself. She remembered thinking there was so much power, but actual memories of what she'd done remained evasive. It was a different experience entirely than her first encounter with an Astral. What she didn't get was how the Glacian fit into all this. They hadn't been doing a trial for her, yet she had taken Hermione over just as much as Ramuh had. She was supposed to have been killed by Niflheim years ago. It didn't make any sense.

There were two hours left until sunrise.

She hoped the boys were giving Niflheim hell. She hoped Draco was alright, and not caught in the crossfire. She wanted to be there. She wanted to kick Loqi in his stupid face for hurting someone dear to her.

She needed to distract herself.

Getting out of bed, she dressed and left the trailer. Cor and Monica were sitting at a table. Cor lifted his brow in question. Hermione hunched her shoulders. "I need some air. I'm going to hang out with the baby Chocobo."

She didn't wait for his consent, walking towards the two black Chocobo that were nestled slightly away from the others. The baby hadn't grown much, still looking like an ordinary grown chicken. The mother watched her as she came closer, but didn't protest Hermione sitting down beside them. The baby Chocobo was delighted to see her, flapping its small wings in an attempt to reach her. Hermione laughed, scooping the chick into her lap and running her fingers down its back.

"You Hermione?"

Hermione looked up in alarm, having not heard anyone approach. A middle-aged man was standing before her, eyes tired and stubble starting to show on his lean face. His brown hair was in disarray, and his clothing was spotted with dust and other spots Hermione didn't want to think about. She noted the various tattoos on his arms, and the dog tags hanging around his neck.

Ah, now she remembered where she'd seen him.

"Hunter Dave," she acknowledged. "What can I do for you?" Hermione had been content to avoid the hunters until now, but the boys frequently caught up with him whenever they crossed paths. They were also always giving healing potions to hurt hunters, enough that Hermione questioned their training at times. It was safe to say that Hermione still held a terrible opinion of them.

Dave gave her a nod in greeting. "Ma'am. Sorry to bother you, but are your friends around?"

She went back to petting the baby Chocobo when it nipped her fingers, but she kept her back straight, body ready to jump up if need be. "They're raiding a Niflheim base at the moment."

Dave lifted a brow. "And you ain't with them? Never seen the bunch of you far apart."

Hermione shrugged. "Was there something I could do for you?"

He shook his head. "Just wanted to give my thanks for the last batch of dog tags y'all turned in. I appreciate it."

Hermione let her defensive posture drop just a little. She did find that admirable in this man, the lengths he went to make sure no Hunter was left missing in action. "It's no problem. I'm sorry you lost so many of your men."

"We Hunters know what we're getting into," Dave replied. He drummed his fingers on his trousers. "Say, do I know you from somewhere?"

"I'm pretty sure you don't."

His lips flattened. "No, I'm sure I do. You… feel familiar. There's no other way to explain it for me."

Well, that just made no sense whatsoever. She sent him an incredulous look. "If you can't explain it, I'm not sure how you expect me to."

"Of course." He gave her a slight bow of his head. "Sorry for botherin' you. Give your friends my regards."

She watched him walk away, Cor greeting him with a handshake and a lighter expression than the one he'd been giving her. She rolled her eyes. Of course, Cor would get along with him. He never had to waste time babysitting him.

Her phone rang. Hermione's hand slapped to her pocket. She looked at the number, dread filling her at the number. She took a deep breath before she answered, trying for easygoing. "Need that favor now?"

"I wish that were what I was calling about, Honey," Aranea said grimly. "They're moving him out to another base. They fucked themselves with their own creation, can't leave until the shield is brought down."

She hung up. She tried calling Gladio first, and then Ignis when there was no answer. She gave up after Noctis, realizing they wouldn't take her call in the middle of a fight. She looked in the direction of the tables. Cor and Monica were still in deep conversation with Dave, hardly paying attention to her.

How long before her group destroyed the base? Cor had told her they would need to get out of there before sunrise, or risk reinforcements from Niflheim.

She looked at the rising sun. Ignis wouldn't leave anything to chance. He'd ensure they were done before the sun came out. If they had already separated Draco from Prompto, would her friends go looking for him? Looking at her Crownsguard babysitters again, Hermione thought through her options. They wouldn't let her leave, and no Chocobo or vehicle would get her across Duscae in time.

Her decision was made when she looked at another table and saw Wiz's paperwork all over it. Trying not to draw attention to herself, she got up and walked over. Wiz was nowhere to be found, but his papers were scattered everywhere, she doubted he'd notice if someone rifled through them.

She found the map at the bottom of the stack. Pulling up the coordinates Aranea had sent, Hermione scanned the map. Finding her point, she located the small area just before it. She could do this. The Auror's did apparition like this all the time.

Hermione felt his eyes on her and looked up to see that Dave had left and Cor was watching her with confusion. He couldn't see the map, didn't realize she could leave. She did feel bad about defying him; he was only looking out for her. But Draco needed her. So with an apologetic smile, she apparated with an almost silent crack.

When she appeared just outside the base, panting and trying to keep her legs from giving out, Hermione knew she was too late. Ramuh, it could only be him, was high in the air. He looked like a Wizard to her with his long robes and even longer hair, wielding a staff sparking with lightning magic. The red shield over the Niflheim base was destroyed in one huge blast.

Hermione ran towards the base. If she could get to the airship holding Draco, she could free him, and they'd bring down his jailers together.

When she entered the base, she saw the boys standing off against someone who looked very familiar. Her eyes saw the metal arm before her mind connected the dots. The Commander from the Citadel, Lunafreya's brother. He had convinced his bosses that she had the real ring of the Lucii even though he knew she didn't.

He used his new arm to push Gladio clear into the Regalia.

Hermione summoned her bow, apparating just behind him and pushing the weapon so that it touched his neck. "I see you have a new limb. I wonder how conductive it is. Want to try it?"

"Oh look," he said lightly. "The bastard is here."

Noctis summoned multiple weapons at once. "You wanna go? Let's do it."

Hermione heard the sound of warping and took her eyes off of the commander to find Ardyn staring at the scene from the shadows. Ravus sensed her distraction, twisting his body and knocking her bow from her grip. He used his metal hand to pick her up by the throat and slam her to the ground. Hermione cried out from the renewed pain to her other arm, breathing deeply to try and calm her instinct to fight. The metal fingers were pressing against her throat, the air around her difficult to take in. He held up his sword and pointed it at Noctis before the prince could make his move. "Don't, or I'll crush her windpipe."

Ardyn made his presence known. "I think that's far enough. Kindly release the lady, Commander."

Ravus let her go, looking away from the group, his expression sullen. Hermione sucked in air desperately, feeling the bruises already forming around her throat. Ignis made his way to her side, helping her up by her good arm, frowning as he took her in.

Ardyn looked at Noctis. "Your savior is here."

Noctis glared at him. "We don't need your help."

"Oh, but you'll want this help," Ardyn chuckled. "I'm taking the army away."

Gladio stood next to Noctis, ready to push him away. "You expect us to believe that."

Ardyn shrugged. "When next we meet, it will be across the seas. Just so happens we have business of our own with the tutelary deity."

Hermione looked up as an airship left the destroyed base. She stepped forward, but Ignis held her at his side. Ardyn was watching her knowingly, the smirk in his eyes if not on his mouth. She glared at him.

"I think we're done here." He signaled to Ravus. The commander left without a glance to any of them. "Until next time."

Hermione waited until they were out of sight before sagging, trusting Ignis to keep her up. He shook his head. "You should have stayed in bed."

"I needed to be here," she said quietly.

Prompto walked up to her, hands in his pockets. "Mione…"

A thought occurred to her. He'd been tortured… "Prompto, where were you kept?"

The blond hesitated. "He's not there, Mione. You don't want to see his cell."

"Yes, I do," she stated firmly. "I can find it on my own if you won't tell me."

Prompto sighed, turning on his heel and walking further into the ruined base. Hermione followed after him, hardly noticing the concerned eyes on her from the men that kept pace behind them.

She knew which cell had been Draco's right away. Blood in various stages, some even still wet, surrounded the small prison. Manacles were fastened to the wall, the chains retractable. Hermione could imagine them using the mechanism on Draco, slamming him against the wall in the hopes of confusing him. She saw him being slashed with knives and being beaten into submission.

She sat hard on the ground when she realized she wasn't breathing, her resulting breaths coming out as sobs. She'd failed. All she'd wanted was to save him from the fate of being imprisoned again. But he wasn't here. They'd taken him away before she could reach him. If she'd been on this raid, she could have gotten him out. She had to believe it.

Hermione turned away, curling her arm around herself in despair. Damn it, why hadn't she come earlier? She shouldn't have listened to Cor _or_ Monica. Who cared if she'd exhausted this world's magic? Her own was powerful enough. She didn't need anything else.

She didn't react to the thinly muscled arms that met around her body. She didn't want comfort right now. No, she didn't deserve it. If she'd been stronger, if the Astral's hadn't played with her…

Noctis blew out a breath, eyes on the cell his sister's friend had been in. "The Empire sure knows how to treat their guests."

Hermione made a sound of distress. Her nails embedded themselves into her palm, fist turning red from how hard she was clenching it.

Gladio grimaced at his distraught girlfriend, partially annoyed that Prompto had gotten to her first but mostly glad she wasn't pushing anyone away. He looked over to Ignis who was taking in all the details of the small prison room, from Prompto's clean cell to the bloodied one and the collection of dirty tools in one corner of the room. Gods, he hoped Hermione hadn't seen them.

Ignis nodded to Gladio's silent question. Gladio grabbed Noctis by the neck of his jacket. "Come on. Let's make sure the Regalia wasn't tampered with."

Noctis looked up, frowning in confusion. "But I have no clue what to look for."

Ignis sighed, sending Noctis a stern glance. "You'll be learning today. Come, Your Highness."

Noctis opened his mouth to protest but stopped when Mione let out another whine, this time curling into Prompto's arms. His best friend was staring at the cell in front of them, eyes unfocused, and his sister was trying to stifle her sobs in said best friends shirt.

He suddenly felt extremely uncomfortable and left to learn about the Regalia to escape the depressive air.

Gladio watched the two for a moment, longing to grab Hermione out of Prompto's arms. He wanted to be the one that she turned to for comfort. He _should_ be the one holding her right now. But he left to follow Noct instead, not comfortable with letting the prince out of his sight after earlier.

Prompto startled after hearing the door close, blinking at the mass of curly hair tickling the skin above his shirt. Hermione's distress was getting louder, her nails digging into his skin from where she'd grabbed his tank. He noticed no one was in there with them. He hadn't heard his friends leave. Seeing her obvious anguish brought a new wave of guilt that Prompto had fought not to feel when they had taken Draco out of this room. There was no mistaking what had gone on in here. It was why he'd pushed not to come back.

Once again looking at the side of the prison that was splattered with blood, Prompto remembered what Draco had desperately told him. Feeling an urgency at the message his new friend had used his limited time to impress on him, Prompto grabbed Hermione by the shoulders and pulled her back to look at him. Her eyes were already red and swollen, snot leaking down her nose that she held back by huge sniffles. She was an ugly crier, Prompto grimacing at his wet shirt for a moment before focusing. "Hermione, " he started. "Draco wanted me to tell you something. It was important to him. He said they took his blood. I saw it myself. They took vials of it in between… Draco needed you to know."

Hermione stared at him in confusion for a moment. Of all the messages he could have left for her, that was it? Why would Niflheim take his blood? It made no sense. They didn't know what he was, had no way of knowing about the magic that flowed through his veins.

Her eyes widened a moment later. There had been one instance where Hermione had inadvertently revealed an ongoing project of the DOM to Draco. She'd ranted about the implications to an unsuspecting Draco while thinking she was alone in her flat. Through that, he knew there was a specific component in wizard blood that indicated magical ability.

He'd needed her to know. She knew exactly why. She needed to get Draco out of Niflheim's hands. Maybe it was standard for them to take blood from their prisoners. But if they tested it and found that genetic marker, Hermione shuddered to think what they would do with him.

Hermione focused on the hand Prompto was digging into his pocket and then pulling out. His closed fist opened, revealing tiny strands of pale hair. He kept his eyes on her. "Draco made me promise to give these to you. Just before they dragged him out of here."

Hermione snatched them from his hand, enclosing them in her palm. Oh Draco. He couldn't have been sure the blood in this room would survive whatever happened, had made provisions to ensure she could track him. She closed her eyes to prevent more tears from falling. He still believed she was coming for him. That had to mean he was alright. She wasn't too late.

But first, she needed to destroy the evidence that he was here in the first place.

She clumsily got to her feet, wobbling from trying to do so with just her feet. Prompto reached out to steady her. Hermione gave him a small smile. "Thank you, Prompto. For everything. Can you do me one more favor?"

"Anything."

She blew out a breath as she looked around the room. "Can you give me some privacy? Tell the guys I'll be right out."

Prompto nodded his assent, sending her worried glances as he walked back up the steps that would lead outside. Hermione waited until he was gone before retrieving her wand.

Prompto walked over to his friends who were waiting by the Regalia. "Where's Mione?" Noctis asked.

He jerked his head in the direction of the small building he'd just left. "She wanted some time alone."

Ignis looked him over. "I'm happy to see you're alright. We weren't sure what Niflheim wanted with you."

Prompto shrugged. "Nothing actually. They were interested in Draco more than me. I was left alone, ignored even."

"Tell us about him." Noctis was curious. "Hermione has been tight-lipped about him."

Prompto glanced at Gladio, the big guy watching the building Hermione was in. He said, "I think he's from Tenebrae. They seemed to think he knew Hermione pretty well, kept trying to torture information out of him."

Gladio's eyes slid over to him. "And did he say anything?"

Prompto shook his head. "Nothing. He was a vault, even when we were alone." He paused, not sure he should say what he thought.

Ignis noticed his hesitation. "What is it?"

Before he could tell them, there was an explosion from the building Hermione was in. The boom was loud in the quiet atmosphere, startling everyone by the Regalia. Gladio cursed, sprinting towards the wrecked prison area.

Ignis held Noctis back when the prince made to follow after Gladio. "Let him retrieve her."

"She's not supposed to be using magic," Noctis protested. "She could be hurt again."

"Yet she chose to use it." Ignis pressed his lips together into a firm line. "Gladio will make sure she's alright."

A few moments later, Hermione was striding towards the car. Gladio was behind her, glowering down at her but saying nothing. She looked tired, eyes bloodshot and face losing whatever color she had managed to recover. She said nothing as she got into the car, taking the front seat and closing her eyes.

There was a noticeable tension between the two, evidenced by Hermione choosing to sit in Prompto's seat.

They looked at Gladio in question, but he only shook his head. "Now that this is done, I want to head back to Lestallum. Iris never called me back. I'm worried." He had let his worry slide when being confronted with the big red shield that had blocked communication everywhere, but Gladio had expected instant messages or calls from his little sister once the buffer had been taken down.

There hadn't been any, and there was a growing pit in his stomach that he was unable to ignore.

* * *

 **AN: So no Draco yet. Maybe in a couple more chapters. So first, this chapter was supposed to go out last week but when I was reading it through, I accidently wrote the last half of this chapter as if Hermione's arm was all better. Big no no, so chapter ended up not being ready. And two, who is playing Episode Ardyn tonight? That DLC is the only reason I'm posting this around midnight-ish and not after I drop my daughter off at school. I'm going to be playing that nonstop until it's done.**

 **Let me know what you think!**


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